Mad About the Boy
by natsumiirex
Summary: She was quite aware how alone she was. And when she sees him he melts her heart. WARNING: underage and violence
1. Maria

She was quite aware how alone she was.

She didn't need to be told twice, or a third, or a fourth. Or even a fifth.

As long as she slept under the stars, they kept her company, and that was as good as she was going to get.

It didn't used to be this way. She had a pa once, and she lived in a nice old farm with her favorite hairless dog Ketchup.

She and ketchup would get up early, just so the two of them could watch the sun rise up together from the distant mountains. And then she would sling her rusty trusty hunting rifle and shoot at the geckos that got to close to their flock of Brahmin.

Then pa had to go and get himself killed.

They were passing bandits, and thought it funny to use their Brahmin as target practice. Course her old pa had to go and teach those rascals a lesson.

She waited for him at the table, dinner going cold.

He never came back.

At first, she thought he was abducted by aliens. She had seen their saucers flying around, and should would hide in the hay, rifle ready to scare them off if they decided to take their stupid Brahmins.

There was a noise outside, a gun going off. She ran to the window and pressed her face against the cold panel.

It wasn't her pa, like she hoped, like she expected so foolishly.

Another POP! and she scrambled back away from the window.

They knew she was in there.

She crawled on all fours and took a peek. They were coming. And there were too many, way too many and she ran outside the back door and fled.

When she came back the next day, they were gone and all their stupid Brahmin were dead.

When she walked into her kitchen, they had eaten last night's dinner and took all their canned food.

The only thing they left were the remains of small bones.

Oh she cried, and cried and cried, clutching those pathetic bones to her chest.

They were all she had left anyways.

Once she was done weeping, she got up and dragged a shovel outside and stopped before a small rock. She kicked it aside and shoved the shovel down on the spot and started shoveling.

Her back ached, and the sun bore down on her body indifferent to her suffering.

She hit jackpot and dropped down on her knees and started digging with her hands until she pulled out a hefty pouch that jingled as she shook it.

She left soon afterwards, a bag slung on one of her shoulder and her rusty trusty rifle hanged on the other.

0000000000

For the first year she starved and struggled to survive off of scraps thrown out in nearby towns. She would search the trash bins, and because she was so small, and it was so cold during the nights, she would sleep in them. Warm, sometimes cozy, and... she got used to the stench over time.

It was only sheer luck that she overheard two men talking about Mr. House needing a new courier out on the road. The last one met an... undecided fate.

She approached them, and asked where to sign up. They looked at her, their eyes trailing up and down and laughed at her skinny body.

"Kid you would break after a second out there." One of them said, a man dressed in black and white checkers with slicked back shiny hair.

"Try me." She said, standing her ground, staring directly into his eyes.

The man chuckled, pulled out a cigarette, and turned his back on the thin girl. She opened and closed her mouth, and she didn't know what to do. So she did the first thing that popped into her head. She turned, and took off in a sprint.

She ran, her skinny legs pumping and her feet pounding on the dirty concrete. She ran to the end of the street, skidded to a halt, took in a deep breath and ran back. She didn't dare look at the two men to see if they were watching her, she only focused on what was in front of her. When she reached the other end of the street, she jumped and slapped the street light pole.

Her lungs hurt, but she forced herself to stand up straight and turn around to see them staring at her. Without breaking eye contact, she approached them again and stopped a good feet away. She was breathing hard through her nose, but her face betrayed nothing.

After a moment of silence, the checkered suited man cracked a grin and took a drag and blew it out.

"Well, what are you standing there for kid?"

She frowned and felt silly. Why did she do that? What was she even trying to prove?

A movement caught her eye and without thinking, she grabbed a package and looked at it, then to him.

"If you survive taking this to the Mojave Outpost, then I _might_ consider you." he said.

She stood standing there, and he raised an eyebrow. "Well?"

She blinked a few times and nodded at him. The tip of his lips twitched upward and he turned his back on her to continue talking with his friend.

Despite what he thought, she did make it back, bleeding and cut in a few places, but nonetheless alive. And he did consider her.

"That's one crappy rifle you have there." he pointed out one day while she was cleaning the gun.

She didn't look up from her task, but said "It's all I got."

He grinned, and pulled out a nine millimeter pistol. He waited till she looked up and saw the gun.

"You want this?" He asked.

She didn't answer, but only stared hard at him. He could see the gears in her head turning and he laughed. What a smart cookie.

"That's right," he said, running his fingers gently over the gun, "Nothing is free here in New Vegas." He looked at the pistol, seeing his reflection looking back at him.

"You can have my Maria when I'm dead and long gone." He paused, and shook his head chuckling.

"That is, if you outlive me kid."

"And I doubt you would."

0000000000

There was irony in those words, looking back on it now.

Waking up on the dusty desert ground, hands and feet tied she looked at the man she once considered a friend.

"You made your last delivery kid." Benny said, holding up a silver platinum chip.

"Sorry you got twisted up in this seam." He slipped the chip back into his checkered coat and pulled out Maria.

"From where you're kneeling it must seem like an 18 karat run of bad luck." He pointed the pistol straight at her.

"Truth is... " And she was staring cross-eyed at the end of sweet, sweet Maria. She looked at him, and for a second a flash of _pity_ crossed his face but it was gone, and his eyes hardened.

"The game was rigged from the start."

When Benny pulled the trigger, she knew now that nothing was free here in the Mojave Desert, and she was paying the price.


	2. Bullet Teeth

Getting shot in the head was a piece of cake.

Surviving the after math was hell. When she came to, she wanted to shoot herself.

A sharp agonizing pounding drilled into the front of her forehead and she grinded her teeth together. God it hurt so so much just make it stop please fucking stop! But it was relentless in it's torture and all she could do was curl up in a ball and wait it out. It felt like hours, but at last it began to ebb away and she could breath normally. She was shaking, and sweating heavily, her face clammy from exhaustion. She relaxed her tense body, her muscles ached after the hours of intense pain.

She seized up as she heard from somewhere from the right side of the room a door open and close. Footsteps clacked on the wooden floor till it stopped in front of her and she heard the creaking of someone sitting down on a chair. Not wanting the person to know she was awake, she pretended to still be asleep. But whoever this person was, they didn't leave and seemed to be waiting for her to wake up. She had no choice but to 'wake up' and greet this person. Slowly, she opened her eyes, and was instantly blinded by a bright harsh light. But it dimmed and she could make out a ceiling fan spinning around, creating a small breeze in the hot sticky room.

"You're awake. How about that." a voice said beside her. Weakly she pushed herself up and turned to face the stranger, because her pa always told her that if you're talking to someone, you look them in the eyes, showing them you mean business and you ain't scared of them.

"Whoa, easy there. Easy. You been out a cold a couple of days now." the clearly masculine voice said, and she felt something touch her knee. She wanted to jerk away, but she was too slow, too weak. Once she righted herself sitting on the bed, her feet placed on the wooden floor, did he came into focus. He was an old bald man, with sun burnt leather skin and a white moustache sat on his lips. He wore regular dark farmer clothing, and his hand was covered with black farmer gloves. He sat back in his chair and rested his arm on his thigh.

"Why don't you just relax a second? Get your bearings."

Relax? She felt like she'd been punched in the face by a Deathclaw. A mother deathclaw.

"Let's see what the damage is. How about your name? Can you tell me your name?" he asked her.

Name...? Name, name what was her name? She searched her memories but it came up blank. The only thing she could remember was always being called the Courier, courtesy of Benny. He took it upon himself to nickname her the Courier, and it caught on and everyone knew her by that. Thinking of the checkered suited man made her sick and she pushed the thought away.

"...Courier.." she mumbled, wincing at the dryness of her throat. She swallowed, letting saliva ease her throat open.

"Huh. Can't say it's what I'd have picked for you. But if that's your name, that's your name." the old man said and raised a hand to his chest. "I'm Doc Mitchell. I've seen you pass by sometimes but I wanna give you my own personal greeting, Welcome to Goodsprings."

_Goodsprings?_ How did she get there? Before Benny got her, she already passed that town and was miles away from it.

"Now, I hope you don't mind, but I had to go rooting around there in your noggin to pull all the bits of lead out." he waved a gloved hand at her head, "I take pride in my needlework, but you'd better tell me if I left anything out of place." He reached down and handed her a machine that read, Robco Reflection. She held the machine up to her face, seeing her pale sickly blue eyes looking back at her. She reached up and gently placed her fingers on a bullet shaped scar slightly to the left of her forehead, feeling the bumps of the stiches. Her dark hair was cut short, and she reached behind to feel the back of her head. A spot was shaved back there, and she felt more stitches.

"You're lucky the bullet went right through your head. If it had lodged in there, then I would've had to drill open your skull and fetch it out." he chuckled and got up from the chair, "Well, I got most of it right, anyway. Stuff that mattered."

There was a moment of silence, she just touching the stitches on her head, and Doc studying her. "You don't talk much, do you kid?"

She pulled her hand away from her head and just stared at him.

"Okay. No sense keeping you in bed anymore. Let's see if we can get you on your feet." At that, she struggled to stand up, and was about to collapse if it weren't for Mitchell helping her up with steady arms. "You weigh like nothing kid, a few days without food will do that to ya."

Once she was standing on her own two feet, she brushed him off, not wanting any more contact than necessary. He didn't take offense to her rude action and simply said, "Good. Why don't you walk to the end of the room. Over by that vigor tester machine there. Take it slow now. It ain't a race."

Despite his advice, she walked past him as fast a she could. She feared if she didn't get her leg muscles working, then she might lose her advantage of speed. And her stamina was something she prided herself on. She stumbled a bit but caught herself and kept going till she reached the old wooden machine.

"Looking good so far. But I suggest you don't run or do anything taxing, not until you get some food in your stomach." He walked past her to a big simple furnished living room and she trailed behind. "Take a seat," he said motioning to the green couch. "I wanna go through some questions with ya. See if your dogs are still barking." At the mention of dogs, she reached up to her chest and was relieved that her bone necklace was still around her neck.

"All right. I'm gonna say a word. I want you to say the first thing that comes to mind."

"Dog." "Train."

"House." "Shelter."

"Night." "Silencer."

"Bandit." "Stab."

"Light." "Dark."

"Mother." "...Caretaker."

He raised a brow at her hesitant response. "Hmm. Sometimes when you give tests like this, you learn more than you was hoping for, and I reckon that ain't always the best thing. But I guess maybe it explains a thing or two about your predicament." He shifted in the plush chair, "Okay. Now I've got a few statements. I want you to tell me how much they sound like something you'd say."

"Conflict just ain't in my nature." "Disagree." His brow raised higher, and looked up and down at the young girl.

"I ain't given to relying on others for support." "No opinion."

"I'm always fixing to be the center of attention." "Strongly disagree."

"I'm slow to brace new ideas." "Disagree."

"I charge in to deal with my problems head on." "Disagree."

"Almost done here. What do you say you have a look at this? Tell me what you see." he said, gesturing to a piece of yellowed paper behind him on a stand.

"An angry two-headed ant."

"And this?" he said, slipping an identical yellowed paper on top of the other.

"A ship at sea." He did the same thing.

"A mushroom cloud..."

He nodded. "Well, that's all she wrote. I don't have nothing to compare it to, but it seems alright." he said, looking at the paper he was jotting down on. "You sure know your way around the Mojave, I can give you that. Knowledge like that is priceless. Not many people survive a day out there."

"Before I turn you loose, I need one more thing from you. I got a form for you to fill out, so I can get a sense of your medical history." She frowned at him, wondering why on earth he needed that. He noticed her questioning look and clarified himself. "Just a formality. Ain't like I expect to find you got a family history of getting shot in the head." he joked, and she bitterly remembered her father. Maybe _he_ got shot in the head.

He handed her a clipboard and a pen and she started checking off the tiny boxes on the list. Once she was done, she handed it back to him and he quickly scanned the paper and set it down on a table next to him. "All right. I guess that about does it." He got up and she got up after him. "Come with me. I'll see you out." He turned around suddenly to face her, a pouch in his hand.

"Here. These are yours. Was all you had on you when you was brought in." He handed her the pouch and she trifled through it. He continued talking, "I hope you don't mind but I gave the note a look. I thought it might help me find a next kin. But it was just something about a platinum chip." She grimaced at the mention of her package that brought her really bad luck. Getting shot in the head bad luck. She looked up at him, her brows furrowing together. "Where is my gun?"

"Sorry, you weren't carrying one when you were brought in."

But where?... Anger flared through her body. That _bastard!_ That sonofabitch! She gritted her teeth and balled her hands into fists. He _knew_ that rifle was from her father and he took it! He didn't even bury it with her. Or leave it like a man with honor would.

_A man wouldn't go and kill a friend, just for a chip._

"You okay there kid? Something wrong?" The doctor asked, noticing her fuming state.

"I'm alright." She bit out, restraining herself from hitting something. "Thank you for your hospitality Doc, but I need to go. Where are the clothes I was wearing."

"Well, if you're heading back out there, you ought to have this." he said, and handed her some sort of computer watch. She turned it around, examining the machine before slipping it on her right forearm. She winced as it made a sucking sound and attached itself to her arm. She felt tiny pinpricks, like needles, dig into her skin under the machine and the screen flickered to life.

"It does that to reach your veins, check your vitals and all that." he explained. "They call it a Pip-Boy. I grew up in one of them vaults they made before the war. We all got one. Ain't much used to me now, but you might want such a thing, after what you've been through. I know what it's like, having something taken from you." He said, giving her an understanding look. "And about your clothes. They were a bit bloody, and we got nothing to wash off the stains. So here." He handed her a blue and yellow striped jumpsuit. "Don't want the locals picking on you for lack of modesty. Never was much my style anyway." He added.

She shook her head confused. "I don't understand. Why are you doing all this for me? You don't know me."

He sighed and smoothed his moustache. "I know enough that a little girl like you needs all the help she can get."

"I'm not a little girl." she said.

"You sure ain't with the way you handle yourself. But take it from an old aging man, you are gonna need help, and you should accept it cus no one else out here is gonna give you a second glance."

She went quiet at his words, and felt guilty for the way she was acting so she asked politely, "Where can I go change?"

"Over there. I'll be waiting for you outside when you're done." He pointed back to the room she awakened from and left her to it.

0000000000

She slipped on the last of the boots she was given and stood up from the bed. It fit her surprisingly well, since it's previous owner was a man. Maybe it isn't his, she thought. She grabbed her pouch, checking again to see she had everything, except her goddamn rifle, and tied it around her waist. When she got a good look at the suit, it had number 21 stitched on the back. Vault 21. She had never been inside a vault, though her pa told her, her mother had.

"She grew up in that rickety old place." she recalled her pa telling her one night while they were out star gazing. Ketchup was chasing a small green gecko around them. "Said it was the best thing that ever happened to her... and then she met me." He laughed at the time, but when he thought she was asleep, she heard him crying through the walls of their old house.

She found the door that led outside and walked out, the hot Mojave breeze hitting her and she instantly broke out in a light sweat. Doc Mitchell was waiting for her, leaned up against the side of a wooden pole that used to be a power pole but ever since the bombs they were nothing now than a resting convenience.

As she approached him and stood a good feet away he said, "There's a saloon down the road called Prospector Saloon. Trudy owns the place, so go tell her I sent you and she'll give you a free meal, on the house." She nodded and started but turned around when he spoke up again. "Also, you should go talk to Sunny Smiles before you leave town. She can help you learn to fend for yourself in the desert, not that you might need any but she's a good shot and you can learn a thing or two from her." He added, seeing the face she gave him. "She'll most likely be at the saloon."

"I reckon some of the other folks at the saloon might be able to help you out, too. And the metal fella Victor, who pulled you outta your grave." He tipped, "Anyway, you ever get hurt out there, you come right back. I'll fix you up."

"But try not to get killed anymore." he said with a smile. The tips of her lips quirked up. She gave a nod, turned and started down the dusty road. Doc watched her off.

_What a kid_, he thought.

What a kid.

0000000000

She didn't make it even half way to her destination when a RobCo security bot rolled down the street and greeted her.

"Howdy partner! Might I say, you're looking fit as a fiddle." it said through an electronic voice, which sounded unexpectedly like a real human voice, with a bit of a western accent. It was huge and towered over her, blocking the sun from her view and casting a shadow on her. It had a tv screen on its chest, and displayed a head of a man with a cowboy hat and a scarf tied around his neck. A smirk adorned his face and a cigarette stuck out of his lips.

"The names Victor." he said and stuck out one robotic claw out to her. She looked at the metal fingers, remembering the time when she was dared by Benny to go bother one of the Securitons that patrolled the New Vegas Strip, and ended up almost getting her head crushed like a melon. She was lucky that Benny managed to slip a gun into a tourist's coat and called him out on it, prompting the Securiton to release her and investigate the commotion.

She slowly reached out and grabbed one of the robot's claws and they shook hands. She quickly drew her arm back to her side. "Were you the one who found me?"

"Sure am! I was out for a stroll that night when I heard the commotion up at the old bone orchard. Saw what looked like a bunch of bad eggs so I laid low. Once they'd run off, I dug you up to see if you were still kicking. Turns out, you were, so I hauled you off to the Doc right quick."

"You're not like the other securitons back at the strip. What security model are you?" she asked, curious since the ones back at the strip only did two things which were to constantly remind you, "No violence on the strip.", and if you did cause trouble they would shoot first and not ask questions later.

"I'm a RobCo security model 2060-B. If you ever stop by the strip, tell my brothers Victor saws howdy." She made a mental note to do so, after she gets back her rusty trusty rifle from a certain someone. The thought of him made her dismal, but extremely angry and pissed the hell off. She met a lot of people in short life, but nobody stood out more than the slick talking gangster. He was the first person that gave her a chance, and he turned out to be her first friend. He was the only person she trusted with her secrets, and the only one she opened up to about her thoughts and feelings.

Course he wasn't the most moralist person around, but who was in New Vegas. So it hurt twice as more when he shot her down, proving to her that he was nothing more than a cold-hearted gangster. He probably didn't even care, and slept good that night with a whore or two from Gomorrah. Why did he have to feel guilty 'bout killing her? After all, she was just one insignificant courier.

"Thanks.. for saving me." she said to Victor. If she was honest to herself, she wasn't that grateful. She would've preferred dying in that grave than continue living with the knowledge her friend betrayed her for a platinum chip.

"Anytime partner. Happy trails!" The robot said and rolled off, humming a tune from some song.

She watched him go. It was weird. She didn't know a securitron could up and leave New Vegas. She thought Mr. House controlled all of them from his tower all the way up there. She didn't think much on it, maybe some fiends hauled him off and re-wired his programming. She began again down the road towards a broken down wooden building, Prospector Saloon hanged on the top, the word Saloon lit up in different styled letters. Hanging on the front porch was a lit up sign that read, OPEN 24 HOURS. She walked past rusted motorcycles, opened the door, and stepped inside.


	3. Sniff Powder

When she entered the dingy bar, a dirty black and white dog perked up at the sight of her. "Cheyenne stay." A woman ordered it and the dog instantly sat down. The woman turned to her and smiled, "Don't worry. She won't bite unless I tell her to. I'm Sunny Smiles, the town guard. Well, the only town guard." She added sheepishly. Sunny Smiles had dark red hair tied back in a ponytail, and wore decent leather armor. A rifle was slung over her shoulder and rested on her back.

"You must be the patient that kept Doc real busy. I've seen you around here before, you're that courier right?" she asked, reaching down to pet the dog Cheyenne, it's tail thumping on the wooden floor.

"I am." She confirmed, "The doctor said you can help me. I'm short on caps, and I only have with me a pistol but it won't get me far."

"We're you heading?"

"New Vegas."

She whistled, "That's a long way from here. But I suppose you being a courier and all you get used to that. Yeah, I can help you, since what you been through, you need all the help you can get after what they done to you."

She scowled at the reminder. Why did people have to bring it up? Her stomach growled loudly then, and she looked down, placing a hand over her belly. Smiles heard it too and slapped a hand on her head. "Look at me keeping you from your food. Go on and eat, I'll be out back. Don't worry, take your time. I know how awful it is to be starving like that." The woman walked ahead of her, Cheyenne trailing behind.

They entered the next room, which was the diner, and Smiles exited through the back door. She took a quick scan of the room, seeing booths lined up to the left, and a counter with stools to the right. The only occupants in the room was a middle aged looking lady stacking bottles on the shelves behind the counter, and a man sitting down at the end of the stools. She settled down on the nearest stool and the lady approached her. She was about to say something, but was hushed by the lady.

"Oh, I know who you are. Everyone in towns been talking 'bout you. Saying you got shot in the head, and by that scar right there I reckon it's true. I'm surprised you're even alive." The lady said. "I'm Trudy, but you must know that already. Doc must've told you 'bout free food too, and I ain't one to give hand outs since caps these days are hard to come by. But," she reached down under the counter and brought up a plate and set it down before her. "I know it ain't much, but its all I got." She said, motioning to the cooked gecko steak.

"Thank you." And she truly was. Her stomach felt like it shrank to the size of a penny, and she felt sicker than the time Swank convinced her to share a harmless drink with him, since it was his 27 birthday. A drink which was juiced up with Absinthe, and had her throwing up in the morning with a severe headache. Benny, her loyal and always there for you friend, laughed at her.

"It's not my fault you accepted a drink from a man, kid." He told her. But he held her hair from her face and rubbed her back soothingly afterwards.

"I'm never gonna drink again." She swore, face down in the toilet, taking in deep breaths.

Benny smirked, "That's what they all say kid. That's what they all say."

She dug in, and shoveled the lizard steak down her throat. All to soon she finished the meal, and downed a glass of radiated water. Her stomach grumbled at the sudden intrusion of solid food, and she was still hungry, but she didn't ask for more.

"You know Sunny got that Gecko you just ate. She's our local Gecko hunter, and thank god for that for if it weren't for her, this place would've been overrun by them nasty creatures." Trudy said, as she took the empty plate and glass and set them down in the sink. She got up from the stool.

"Thank you again for the meal."

"Oh, dear it was nothin'. You come back anytime now whenever you're hungry. Course with some caps next time." Trudy said smiling. She gave a nod and walked out the door Smiles went through. The lady was nice, but she hated being called dear. Actually, any pet names got on her nerves. It was condescending, and she felt like people didn't take her seriously. Honestly, she's traveled through the Mojave Desert more times than she could count, and survived.

She spotted Smiles standing next to a crop field and made her way to her.

"How's the food? Knowing Trudy she probably gave you a fresh Gecko." Smiles said when she got close enough.

"Fine. Why're we out here?" Smiles pointed to the back wall of the saloon. There placed on a wooden fence were lined up glass bottles. "Now, see those sarsaparilla bottles on that fence, there? Take this and try to hit a couple of 'em." She handed her a varmint rifle, and she inspected the gun. It was okay, and it would be some protection but if she happened to cross something bigger than a gecko then she would be in trouble.

She brought the gun to eye level, squeezed her left eye shut, and shot down all the bottles in a row.

"I'm impressed. Who taught you how to shoot like that?" Smiles asked.

"It's part of the job." She replied, not wanting to indulge the woman's curiosity.

"Tell you what. I gotta go chase geckos from our water supply. Darn critters are attracted to it. Why don't you come along? I could use some help."

She pursed her lips. She wanted to get going right away, but these people had been nice to her and she felt like she should repay them in some way. "Ok."

Sunny smiled, "Follow me. It's just down to the southeast a short ways." She took off in a light jog and the Courier followed her.

0000000000

It turns out there were more geckos than Smiles expected, and a woman from Goodsprings who decided to fetch water by herself was killed before they could save her.

"I told them not to go out alone. People don't realize how dangerous these lizards really are." Smiles said, as the Courier shot a retreating gecko. She glanced at the mutilated body, chunks of flesh missing, especially around the face.

"Why don't you go on back. Here." Smiles handed her a container filled with irradiated water. "Can you take this to Trudy? I'm sure her stock is running low and I don't want anyone else coming out here."

"Also," She gave her a small woolen pouch. "Here's a little spending money for the trouble."

She took it with a thankful nod and jogged back to town.

When she entered the saloon again, she was greeted to the sight of a strange looking man confronting Trudy, who looked more annoyed than alarmed.

"I'm done being nice. If you don't hand Ringo over soon, I'm going to get my friends and we're burning this town to the ground, got it?" The dark skinned man threatened.

Trudy looked unimpressed. "We'll keep that in mind. Now if you're not going to buy something, get out." The man looked like he wanted to punch her, but instead turned on his heels and marched pass the Courier. They heard the slam of the door and Trudy headed behind the counter.

"I recognize that outfit. What does a powder ganger want with you?" she asked, placing the water container on the counter. Trudy thanked her for the supply and set it down under. When she got up, she looked like she aged years.

"His names Joe Cobb, and they don't want me, they want Ringo. He came around 'bout a week ago. Said he was a trader and that he survived some kind of attack. Bad men were after him and he needed a place to hide."

"We figured he was just in shock, so we gave him a place to lie low. We didn't actually expect anyone to come after him. That was our mistake, and now it seems our little town is in danger because of him."

"Why not hand him over? The town doesn't owe him anything." she said. She didn't get why they didn't do so right when a bunch of powder gangers showed up. She knew of their gang, had bad run in's with them in the past. They weren't as bad as the fiends, hell compared to the fiends they were a bunch of pussies. But they were a violent gang of convicts, and should be considered a threat.

Trudy looked at her with a frown. "Is that the way you view such things? No, we couldn't do that. It isn't right, and Sunny would've stopped anyone who tried anyways. If Ringo asked for help, she would be the first one on the list. But he hasn't."

"Personally, I hope he sneaks out of town one night and takes the Powder Gangers with him." Trudy confided. "I just don't want nobody getting hurt over this mess."

And now suddenly, she felt herself torn. She had this overbearing urge to help these people out but the logical part of her brain told her this was none of her business and she should be done with it and go. She had to deal with her own problems. But just thinking about leaving these people behind to a terrible fate, because she was sure what that gang member said about burning the town to the ground was true, made her sick to her stomach.

She didn't know what to do. Benny would tell her to look out for herself, and only herself. But her pa told her to always do the right thing, no matter what. And why was she even thinking about following Benny's advice. His opinions didn't matter to her anymore. Right?

Damn her and her morality code.

"Where is Ringo now?" she asked finally and she didn't know if she asked to help out, or just out of spite to Benny. Either way, she wouldn't leave this town to certain doom.

Trudy rested her arms on top of the counter. "You don't plan on talkin to him, are you? But if you really want to know, he's holed up at the abandoned gas station up the hill." She started to leave but Trudy called out to her. "I don't want you getting into our trouble. No sense in doing that."

"I know." she said and went out the door before the lady could say anything else.

0000000000

The gas station was like any other building, rusted, worn down, and centuries out of business. She crossed under the roofing that shielded her from the sun's heated gaze, and passed missing pump machines. Some people in the past probably ripped the machine from it's screws, just to get the oil inside. She thought it queer how people long ago used to drive these things called cars. Said it could take you miles and miles, and you didn't even have to walk one bit. The vehicles that survived the blast were now just wreckage, and extra spare parts to build a place to sleep.

She halted at the door and glanced at the boarded up windows. A sarsaparilla vending machine was placed next to the entrance and she pushed her hand inside the open compartment and groped around for anything. Days, sometimes weeks, in the desert taught her to always search thoroughly for anything she could find. It's what kept her alive most of the time. The machine only offered her two filled bottles of the pop and she downed one and decided to save the other for later.

She pushed open the door and entered only to have a gun pointed at her. "That's close enough. Who are you and what do you want with me?" She raised her arms warily and stood perfectly still. The man was jumpy, and she was sure if she made any sudden movement he would shoot her, on purpose or not.

"A powder ganger came in asking for you. Said he'd get his friends and burn the town down." she said. He licked his lips nervously, but didn't lower his gun. "You're not one of them are you?" He asked warily, darting his eyes from her to the door and back. She raised a brow and let him come to his own conclusion.

"No... no what am I sayin', you're just a vaultie." He put down the gun and she relaxed. "What do you want? Did one of the people from town sent you? I'm not going to leave. They don't know I'm here and if I wait long enough they might forget 'bout me."

"No one sent me. And that's the problem. They're not leaving anytime soon, and they will come back and get you. The only thing you're doing is putting these people's lives at risk."

"And what do you suggest? I go out there and get myself killed?" He snapped. "I'm sorry but that ain't an option I'm willing to take."

She clenched her teeth at the man's stubbornness. "I'm not asking you to. But I want to know what you did to a man named Joe Cobb."

His face turned white at the mention of the gangbanger's name and asked, "Why do you wanna know?"

"So I can decide whether you deserve what's coming to you or not." She knew it sounded harsh, but she learned that people were not all what they seem. For all she knows, he could've fucked with the gang first and they just wanted some revenge. There was no point in protecting someone who brought it upon themselves.

His face flushed. "I didn't do nothin'. My caravan was on the return trip from California and heading back to the company branch in New Vegas when we got jumped. Not even a drop your weapons and hands up before the bullet started flying." She watched him frown at the memory. "We put up a good fight, but there was too many of them."

"I took a few of the bandits down before I ran. So I figure their friends are out for revenge." So she was right about them wanting revenge, just not for the reason she thought it was. "I'm not afraid of Joe Cobb. In fact I say he's afraid I'll shoot him if he comes near me and I would. But now you say he's bringing friends and..." He trailed off, worry creasing his brows. "I've got no chance against the gang on my own."

She pursed her lips. Dammit, she was hoping he would've turned out to be an asshole just so she could get rid of him and leave the town knowing it was safe. Turns out he's just like her. Trying to live for tomorrow.

"How many are there, you know?" If she was going to help him, then she wanted to know how high the odds were against them.

"I can't say. But if what you say is true about them going to burn this town down, then I'd say about six or eight at most."

"Why so small? This _is_ a town. People aren't gonna sit back and watch them burn down their houses." She knew she wouldn't.

"I don't know if you noticed but there's only one town guard. The rest are farmer folk."

Well that took them a million steps back. If the majority of the town couldn't fight back then that only left Smiles, Ringo, and herself. She could handle herself in a gunfight, been in a few before, but she wasn't cocky. Just the three of them wouldn't be enough. There must be someone else who could help.

"Where are you going?" Ringo asked as she pushed open the door, letting sunlight stream in.

"I'm going to even our odds."


	4. Ghost Town Gunfight

"Hey, I thought you left already. Sticking around Goodsprings for awhile longer?" Smiles said when she saw the girl. She was nursing a beer in her hands, her dog Cheyenne laid under the table by her feet.

"I'm going to help Ringo take on the powder gangers. Are you in?" She cut to the chase. Smiles got up. "Say no more. I'm in. Joe Cobb talks about leaving us alone if we hand over Ringo, but I know his type. He and his friends _will_ come after the town eventually."

She suspected they would do so. "We don't have enough people to fight back. Do you know anyone else who could help?"

Smiles turned thoughtful. "People listen to Trudy. I'm going to try to convince her to help us. If she agrees, then some of the folks in town might decide to help us out as well."

"I know Easy Pete's got a stock of dynamite somewhere, and Chet just got a shipment of leather armor we could borrow. Chet wouldn' be a problem, and Doc Mitchell is always willing to lend a hand, so ask him for some stimpacks. I doubt we're getting out of this unscathed. Pete might be unwilling at first, but try an convince him. He'll come around when you tell him you're fightin'. He used to have a kid."

The Courier nodded. "We meet outside the saloon. If they come before we're ready, we'll just have to improvise." Smiles agreed and they both went their separate ways. When she exited, there was an old man sitting down on a chair, gazing at the sunset. She joined next to him, leaning against one of the posts that held the patio roof up. She took in the breath taking sight, just enjoying the peaceful silence. Everything felt like it was going to fast, and she needed this moment to catch up. It hadn't even been a day and she was already thrown into the thick of things.

But it kept her mind off of other things.

She touched the scar on her head, wincing because it was still sensitive. Her skull ached, and she still had a dull headache. Her whole body felt like shit and all she wanted to do is curl up in her bed and sleep off this nightmare. What was she even doing?

She didn't make rash decisions, like save a town. What was wrong with her? She wasn't some hero. She was just a courier. Just another soul in this wasteland. But wasn't this what she wanted? She always dreamed of being something more, someone important. She felt like she had a purpose, a role to fill.

She tells Benny this one night. "I just want to change the world. Make it better for everyone."

He exhaled smoke, watching the drunken NCR soldiers stumble around waving their flag like idiots. "It's a big world out there kid. And you're just one person."

"I know that. I just... I have this vision. Of a new world. Just like it was before the bombs."

"A brave new world..."

It seemed like she said that forever ago. Nostalgia washed over her and her eyes burned but she held the tears back.

Why? Why, why, why, why, why? She had so many questions, but the person who could answer them was miles away. It hurt. God it hurts. _He_ hurt her. He was the last person she thought that would ever hurt her. She trusted him. She opened up to him. Did it mean nothing to him?

All this time, did she meant _nothing_ to him?

She wanted to hit something. Anything. So many emotions were running through her head and she wanted to let it all out.

_God she lov-_

"You alright there, girl?" A voice interrupted her thoughts and she blinked. The old man beside her looked at her with concern in his aged face. She relaxed her face so it was set to a neutral expression.

"I'm fine." she said stiffly. The old man raised a brow but didn't push for more. "You know where Easy Pete is?" She asked.

The old man laughed heartily and tipped his straw hat. "You're lookin' at him."

An "oh" fell from her lips. That was convenient. "I hear you've got dynamite. It would help us beat the powder gangers."

He frowned, making the many wrinkles of his face more prominent. "Too dangerous. Gonna kill all yourselves if I let you touch it. Better to leave it buried - safer that way."

"Some of us will die anyways with or without the bombs." She stated, disagreeing with the man's logic. He went silent for a moment, and he petted his long white beard in thought.

"You fightin'?" He asked.

"I am." He gave a tired sigh and leaned back in his chair. "Child like you gotta grow up fast out here. No room for innocence. Only the weak get killed." He seemed to be talking more to himself than to her. "I'll dig out them dynamites. You just wait here." He got up from his chair and walked off towards one of the houses. She waited like he ordered, scanning the road that led out of town for any approaching powder gangers.

He came back and handed her red sticks. She grabbed it and he grabbed her hand. "You know how to use these things?" He said seriously. She nodded, and he stared into her eyes and let go. She watched him walk off down to the houses again, and felt slightly guilty. It wasn't like she outright lied to Pete. It's just that the only experience she got with explosives was on New Years when the whole New Vegas Strip went out into the streets and lit up fire crackers and the occasional fireworks.

It was actually the first time she ever saw the brilliant display of colors in the night sky. She would stare, mesmerized by the lights and the sound and the _crack_ of it exploding reverberated in her chest. She glanced at Benny, and caught him looking at her.

"You look like it's you're first time seeing this stuff!" He yelled over the noise.

She nodded, "It is!"

"Then Baby Doll, how 'bout you send one up!" She felt her cheeks heat up at the nickname, but she let it slide. Benny was drunk off his ass anyways. He bent down on his knees and set down a small red with blue swirled firework. She crouched down next to him as he pulled out a match box and set a match aflame. He handed her the burning match stick and she held it gingerly between her thumb and forefinger.

"Light it up, Doll." He said, looking into her eyes. Her breath hitched as she stared back. She could see her reflection in those dark glazed over eyes. She broke the stare and brought the match to the black string and it instantly caught fire. They both backed up and watched as the firework shot off up, up, up and exploded into a spectacular view of red and blue.

She glanced at him, but he was looking somewhere else.

0000000000

Smiles was right about Chet not being a problem. Sure she had to push a little, telling the owner that his shop would be ransacked and him dead, so really there was no point. She walked out with his promise that he would get the other residents suited up, and gave her an armor that would fit her size. She cut off the long sleeve of her right arm since the Pip-Boy was there.

Other than the pain she got at the beginning, the machine on her wrist didn't bother her at all. It felt normal, and she actually forgot it was there. She toyed with the thing after she left Doc Mitchell's place.

On the green screen, there was a little Fallout Man, and she guessed that was supposed to represent her body health. It had three buttons on the bottom, each reading in order STATS, ITEMS, and DATA. She looked through each of the buttons, getting a good idea on how this Pip-Boy worked. Seemed like it took note on how much she was carrying and what she had. Weird. Doc did tell her more about it when she visited him for the stimpacks.

Said this machine was like a fifth limb, and just like the other limbs it received electrical impulses from the brain. I guess what she sees is recorded in the machine, because when she looked through her weapons, it listed all the guns she currently had. It was kinda creepy, but she was sure it would come in handy.

She entered the abandoned gas station, startling Ringo. "Relax it's just me."

He was shuffling some cards, and dropped them when she walked in, making him bend down and pick them up off the floor.

"I got Sunny and some others to fight for you." She told him. "You know they're putting their life on the line for you."

He ran his fingers through his short hair. "I know. And I can't express... I don't know how to thank you. All of you."

"Don't. Thank them after we get out of this mess." She said, and tossed him a leather armor. He caught it and she left to wait for him outside.

0000000000

They all met outside the saloon, armed and ready. Ringo hid himself behind a boulder, and the rest of the settlers who chose to fight with Trudy laid low.

"You sure you wanna do this? This ain't your fight." Smiles said, putting down her binoculars and looking at the girl. They were waiting for the gang on the road, guns un-holstered in case they come in shooting.

She hardened her face to hide the creeping anxiety in the back of her mind. You'd think after getting shot in the head would've made her insensitive to death, but she was still afraid of dying. Always had been. Maybe sometime in the future she would be reckless enough not to care, but for now, she was fine with living.

"Don't worry about me. I can take care of myself." There was no turning back now.

Smiles looked through the binoculars, and set it down. "Look alive people! The Powder Gangers are here to play!" She hollered.

There were four of them, all dressed in the usual ganger outfit. "Seems like they thought we would be an easy kill." Smiles muttered beside her as the gang approached them and came to a stop. One of them was carrying a spiked baseball bat, and looked up and down at the Courier, giving her a wink. She in return gave the convict a death glare. Joe Cobb stepped up, his own gun drawn.

"We're here for Ringo." He said. "You and that girl don't have to cause trouble when there is none."

Sunny smiled with her teeth, "You and your boys better leave before you get yourselves hurt."

Joe Cobb and his friends laughed. "Last warning. Hand him over or we're blowing this shit town to dust." He warned.

The air was thick with tension as the two parties just stared at each other, fingering their guns. A hawk above them screamed as it passed by. Cobb smirked, hoping for that answer. "You just made the wrong choice."

In a flash, the Courier shot down the man with the baseball bat and all hell broke loose.

The two parties instantly backed away form each other as bullets went flying. She dove behind a boulder and pressed her back against the rock. The deafening sound of gunshots rang through the air, and one of the gangers had a machine gun.

"Shit shit shit!" She heard one of them yell as the rest of their group revealed themselves and started firing at the gang. Bullets bounced of her rock but she didn't get hit.

"CHEYENNE!" She heard Sunny scream and she looked up to see the dog running straight at the gang. Sunny took off after the dog, leaving her cover behind.

"Sunny no!" she called out but it was too late. The red headed woman let out a pained scream and collapsed. Cheyenne chomped down on one of convicts but was knocked off and hit by a pipe, the dog falling limp. She rested the rifle on the rock and took aim, shooting at the one who hit the dog. It got his leg and he yelped in pain and shot at her. She ducked down, barely missing the bullets.

Suddenly, something landed in front of her and she barely had to time to register what it was before she booked it, the spot where she had been blowing up.

"Fuck!" She yelled as the blast pushed her off her feet and threw her down. Rolling to a stop, she groaned as her whole body ached. Her Pip-Boy chirped and she glanced at the screen to see the Fallout Man making a sick face. He sure got that right. She pulled out a stimpack from her pocket and stabbed it down on her arm. The dizziness instantly cleared and she got to her feet with renewed strength.

She looked up and froze as she saw Joe Cobb throw another dynamite her way. It sailed through the air and quicker than she thought, she raised her Pip-Boy and without thinking clicked on VATS. She saw the thing before, but didn't dare use it until now. Seemed like lady luck was on her side as adrenaline pumped through her system, slowing everything down. She raised her gun, took aim at the dynamite, and pulled the trigger.

By the time the bullet touched the explosive, everything speed back up. The dynamite exploded in the air and pushed her and Cobb back. Her head struck the ground and she saw stars. She turned her head to the side and spat out blood from biting her tongue. She stabbed another stimpack and she got up. Joe Cobb was still on the ground groaning in pain. From somewhere, a dynamite exploded and the last of the powder ganger sailed up into the air. Parts of him.

She limped to the fallen man and raised her gun. He was slipping in and out of consciousness, the half of his face badly burnt and his arm was an angry crusted red. She didn't say anything as she put the man out of his mercy with a bullet to the head.

Killing someone was a part of something you have to live with if you want to survive. She learned that the hard way. It's live or die out here.

Everyone had gathered around Smiles, and Doc crouched to check her pulse.

"Is she..." Trudy stopped. She couldn't even say it. Doc shook his head. "She's alive, but barely. Ringo, James, help me with her." The two men held her by the shoulders and feet and they followed the Doc up towards his place. She watched them go, and hoped Smiles would make it. She hadn't known the woman for more than a day but that didn't mean she wasn't concerned for her. She _was_ the only town guard.

"C'mon everyone back inside. Free drinks on the house." Trudy said, ushering people into the saloon and away from the battle field. Instead of going inside, she walked down the road to where Cheyenne lay. She crouched down, staring at the dog. Sunny ran after her, willingly putting her life on the line just for this dog. It's chest was slowly rising up and down. Just knocked out, while Sunny was dying. She reached out and petted it's soft fur. Guilt washed over her, and she held the bones around her neck.

"She went after you." She whispered. "Why couldn't I?"

"Going back for that dog would've gotten you killed." Benny had said. "It was the smart choice, and you're still alive."

She looked away. "Was it?" She felt like there was so much more she could've done. So much more she should've done. "I ran away like a coward."

"There was nothing you could've done."

She left the memory at that. She will always feel guilty. There were so many what if's.

She slid her arms under the dog and lifted him up with a grunt. She wasn't going to leave it here for the gecko's to eat him. She carried him inside the saloon, as the sun dipped under the mountains.

0000000000

"I owe you a huge favor for this."

It had been a few hours after the gun fight, and Doc had come back to them, relieving everyone that Sunny was going to make it, miraculously, but she's knocked out and wouldn't wake till tomorrow. The Courier ate with the others, but stepped out to take a break from their celebration. She preferred the cool, silent night air. She was watching the dark shapes of the geckos and wild dogs eating the bodies when Ringo joined her outside.

"No, it's the town you owe, especially Sunny." She corrected him.

He glanced at the building Sunny was resting in. "I know, but I want you to have this." He fished out of his pocket a sack of caps. "These are technically Crimson Caravan funds, but I know they'll understand once I explain things."

She didn't grab the sack. "You don't have to pay me."

"I want you to have it. A thanks for what you did." He said. She looked at him then to the bag and shook her head. "Give it to the town. They need it more than me."

"You sure?" She nodded and he stuffed the sack back into his pocket. "Not a lot of people would pass that kind of money up."

She looked at the darkening sky. "I used to think money was all I needed to make my life better." Memories of her starving every night and people walking past her in the streets not even giving the dying girl a glance hardened her face. She was desperate back then. She used to dream every night that she would get rich at the casino's and buy all the food in the world. She didn't realize what she really wanted was just for someone to care.

Ringo also watched the bodies getting picked on by the wild animals. "I'll stick around for a bit longer, but I'll be gone in a few days. If you ever visit New Vegas, look me up at the Crimson Caravan camp."

She smiled bitterly at his words. "Tell Trudy and Doc thanks for me." She said and started down the steps.

"Wait, you're leaving?" Ringo asked. "Right now? I thought you lived here?"

She turned around. "Just passing by."

"And you just decided to help out a town. To help a stranger you don't even know. Just like that." He asked incredulously.

She didn't answer that and continued walking.

"And I'm not a vaultie." She called over her shoulder.

"I'm a courier."

With that she walked off into the night, and began her long way back to New Vegas.


	5. Blue Moon

She was planning on going east, down to the Mojave Outpost, and then head south through Nipton. She wasn't that desperate to take her chances through Quarry Junction. The last time she did, Chomp Lewis gave her 50 caps just because he thought she was going to die. She made it, but barely. She had to use her secret weapon. A chem injection infused with psycho, adrenaline, and ultra jet all combined. The thing costs about 15,000 caps, and the only people willing to buy it are the couriers. It is only used in extreme, _extreme_, emergencies, like running away from three bloody-thirsty deathclaws. Since the couriers aren't fighters, their more travelers, she booked it. It was the first time she actually used the dangerous chem, and she wouldn't lie. It felt fucking amazing.

She ran like no other, and when she out-ran the deathclaws, she still kept running for a good 30 miles all the way to the outskirts of New Vegas. She must've accidentally injected too much because she was high for about three days later. Benny found it amusing, and had her do crazy stuff that she wouldn't agree to if she were sober. Such as free climbing to the top of the Lucky 38 sign. Not the building, because he said that the viewers couldn't see her from up there and they were paying for a good show. For that, she made him pay for the next chem shipment.

She came to a crossway on the road and looked left to the Sloan and then right to Primm. She took a step right but jumped as a bullet scratched the spot in front of her. She ran to a nearby rock, just making it in time as more bullets pelted at her. Who the hell?! She glanced around the rock when her attackers stopped and had to reload. It was two powder gangers by the old Jean Sky Diving building. They were probably waiting for the people from town to try to escape down this way. They didn't know their friends were dead, getting eating to the bone by a bunch of animals.

They finished reloading and started shooting at her again. Dammit, she was stuck. She couldn't leave her hiding spot, and if she did they would shoot her on sight. But she couldn't stay here. Maybe she could climb on top and escape up the ridges? It was really dark, maybe they won't notice her. She was still thinking about what the hell she was going to do when more loader, quicker gunshots pierced the air and the powder gangers screamed and cursed.

She looked around again, and saw... Victor? It couldn't be anything else, unless another securitron decided to live it's cold metallic life in the desert. She watched the robot gun down the two gangers easily. She walked out confused and approached the securitron. He turned around when he sensed her presence and changed his shooter to his pinchers.

"Fancy meeting you here, friend." He greeted cheerfully as if he just hadn't popped out of nowhere and conveniently shot down her attackers. She ignored his greeting.

"Are you following me?" She accused, because other than Ringo, nobody else knew she left.

"I was just passing by, and saw you needed some help." He replied coolly. Before she could respond, Victor wished her "Happy Trails!" and rolled back in the direction to town. She stood their dumbfounded, her mouth slightly parted in a small o. What was that all about? Was she being stalked by a psycho robot? She didn't believe for a second his vague excuse. It left her bothered, but the convicts were dead and Victor, creepy as he is, wasn't a threat to her. Not at the moment.

She scavenged through the dead bodies, finding 15 caps total, 2 dynamites, and a hunting knife. She stuffed them into her pouch and went on her way. It was a long trek to Primm, but she knew once she go to the town, she could sleep on one of the cots laid out for free. She wasn't going to waste her caps on renting a room.

Her footsteps were the only sound in the lonely road, and she kept watch for any geckos or bloatflies. She would occasionally glance over her shoulder, to see if Victor was following her but she didn't see him. That still didn't reassure her though. She startled when her Pip-Boy let out a crackling sound and the air around her changed. She knew what it was, and she was surprised the machine could pick up on nearby radiation. Ahead, she knew the road collapsed in a deep ridge, and tons of barrels filled with toxic goo emanated heavy radiation. It was practically a breeding ground for the mutated animals.

She trailed off the road and walked a huge arc around the radiated spot. She didn't like leaving the road, since most of the really dangerous threats resided deep in the desert. The road was sometimes clean, with the few bandits that liked to hide and catch their victims off guard.

In the distance, she could see the lights of the town, like a beacon in the dark sea. She was relieved. Her legs were killing her and she was exhausted. She forgot that the only thing she ate was gecko steak and that was hours ago. When she got closer to the town, she squinted. Is that an NCR flag? Sure enough, it was. When did the NCR move in? She thought they were too busy fighting the Legion to care about small expendable towns.

_The war_.

Everyone knows about the war raging between the two armies. The two sides wanted control over Hoover Dam, which held all the fresh water in the country. She didn't mind the New California Republic, just because their main base was keeping the fiends at bay. But it annoyed her that they came in and decided they had control over everything. They started making new laws and bringing in people from California. It was good for business, but they were getting more privilege than the New Vegas residents. And the fact they wanted control over New Vegas itself didn't settle well with her. They mean good, but when the Legion is defeated, she expects Mr. House to kick them out.

The Legion on the other hand, she didn't know much about. She only heard snippets that the army came from somewhere West over the Colorado River. They were a ruthless society that enslaved people and she heard that if any tried to fight back, they were staked on a cross and left to either die from blood loss or get eaten by birds. She hasn't encountered the legionnaires in the desert, or even seen one in person, but she disliked the group. Slavery was an out of date tactic, and it wouldn't advance their community. To oppress the masses is the downfall of the structure.

And plus she heard about the way they treated women. She wouldn't join anyone that believed women were bellow them.

The NCR flag was tied to the top of a street light, the light illuminating the flag, showing a two headed bear and New California Republic written under it.

She stopped when she spotted a soldier jogging to her.

"Hey, where the hell do you think you're going? Primm is off limits." He said rudely.

"I'm a courier from the Mojave Express." She clarified. "I thought I could rest up here. What's going on in Primm?"

He sneered at her, as if explaining the situation to a courier was a waste of his time. "Some convicts from the prison up the road have taken over the town. Everyone inside is either dead or in hiding."

He continued. "What's more, there are two tribes of raiders causing trouble in this area as well. You'd be safer heading back up to Goodsprings. But you said you're a courier?"

She nodded, glancing at the quiet town. It seemed like the world was falling apart after her supposed death.

"Head up to the right. I think Lieutenant Hayes would like a word with you." The soldier said and marched back to his post. What other choice did she have? So she headed up the right, passing destroyed buildings until she came upon a small NCR outpost.

"Halt! State your business stranger." A soldier ordered from behind wooden spikes, a standard service rifle trained on her.

She raised her hands. "I'm a courier. A soldier said I should talk with your Lieutenant."

He didn't lower his gun, but called back, "Alright. Come slowly. You reach for your gun and I will shoot."

Not planning on it, she thought. She walked slowly and the soldier backed up to let her in the compound. He kicked a bucket to her. "Put all your weapons in the bucket."

She frowned but did as he ordered. When she dropped the last of her gun in the bucket he lowered his gun. "Follow me."

He lead her to one of the tents set up and he opened the flap and they walked inside.

"Sir!" He saluted to a stern looking Caucasian man sitting down, a map of the town laid out on his desk.

"McGee this better be good." The man said not looking up from the map, and she guessed this was Lieutenant Hayes.

"It is. We got a courier." McGee said, and stepped aside so Hayes could see her. He looked up from the map and leaned back in his chair.

He eyed her and said, "You look a little young to be a courier. But I suppose it doesn't matter. I need you to deliver a message to Major Knight at the Mojave Outpost." He opened a drawer and handed her a sealed envelope. "Here's 50 caps, an extra 10 for the... _problems_ you might encounter on the road."

"You can stay for the night. I'm sure McGee has a free bed for you." He added as an after thought and dismissed her by looking down at his map. But when she didn't leave he looked up at her questionably.

"I usually get told the state of my delivery before I agree. Company policy." She said. It really was, as a safety for the courier and for the company. They didn't want to be transporting a bomb or something to some fiends. It was only precaution.

"This is private NCR business. It is none of your concern." McGee countered beside her but Hayes raised a hand, silencing him.

"Then I won't make the delivery." She said, placing the envelope back down on the desk as well as the caps.

Hayes chuckled, "The first courier that comes around and it's one with propriety." He motioned for her to sit and she did so.

"My boy down there probably told you about what happened to Primm." She nodded and he continued. "You're probably wondering why we aren't doing anything. Well, the answer is that we can't. The town doesn't fall under NCR jurisdiction, and even if it did, we're in no shape to protect them. We can barely protect ourselves. We don't have the equipment to take out the convicts, and even if we did we need some extra hands for backup."

"This envelop is a requested permission for Primm to be added to the list, and for some more men." He tapped the envelope. "Major Knight is the one in control, but I can't send one of my soldiers to him. We need them here, and we would've been stuck here in this mess if you hadn't shown up. So, will you go?"

The two NCR soldiers looked at her expectantly. Did they really expect her to say no? It was on the way she was heading, and it was her job. She grabbed the envelope and the caps and stuffed them in her pouch.

Hayes broke out in a relieved smile. "Good. McGee can show you the bed. And if you're hungry there's Brahmin steak at the fire pit."

She followed McGee out and he led her to the other tent where there were three bunk beds. "You can have any." He motioned to the beds.

"Can I have my guns back?" She asked. She didn't feel safe being weaponless. Anything could happen and she wanted to be prepared when it does.

"Yeah. Let me get it." He turned and walked through the flaps. She settled down on the closest bed and threw her pouch on it. She went outside, popping open the sarsaparilla bottle she saved from Goodsprings, and followed the smell of cooking meat, her stomach constricting in pain. An asian man was flipping the meat over the fire and he looked up from cooking as she approached.

"You must be the courier. You want some?" He asked, waving a steak at her with tongs. She nodded and he placed the cooked meat on a paper plate and handed it to her. She made herself comfortable in one of the plastic chairs and dug in. It was bit undercooked, but she liked the juicy blood that exploded in her mouth.

"What's up with your head. Got a nasty kicker before you got here?" The soldier asked.

"Shut up Tyrone. Don't you know anything about common decency." McGee cut in, having returned back from the tent. He served himself dinner and took the chair next to her.

"Lance, if I had any, then all the ladies would've had to settle on pansies like you." Tyrone said, sitting down himself with a shit eating grin.

"Fuck you." Lance spat. "At least I have a girl waiting for me back in Cali."

"Yeah she's totally waiting." Tyrone said while thrusting his hips up and down in a suggestive manner.

Lance growled, "I swear if you were a legionnaire I would've killed you already."

"Don't worry. I think the same thing everyday."

A loud boom went off somewhere, and she jumped to her feet in alarm. "What was that?"

"Relax kid, it was just the daily dumbass of the day." Tyrone said, looking completely unconcerned of a bomb going off.

"The what?" She asked, sinking back down on her chair when she realized nothing was going to attack them.

"We placed frag mines all over the bridge connecting Primm to us." Lance explained. "And sometimes the convicts would try to cross over but they're just getting themselves killed."

"Yeah, so we call the unlucky bastards the daily dumbass of the day." Tyrone joined in, picking his teeth with a toothpick. "You'd think they'd stop trying but they still keep coming. I think they think if they sacrifice enough men then we'd run out of frag mines. They don't know we have a shitload of it stocked."

Tyrone and Lance talked for a bit more, she just listening to them fight. She wondered if it was like this everyday between the two who constantly battered. She excused herself when her eyes started to droop, and when she entered the tent she collapsed on the bed, and fell into a well deserved sleep.

0000000000

"Is something wrong?" She asked as Benny returned to her from talking with his right-hand man. Swank had come in, and when Benny caught sight of him told her he'll be back. Had to take care of some business. The two gangsters left to Benny's office at the top of the building, and they were gone for quite a while. At times like this, she felt down. She and Benny had grown close over the year, or that's what she thought in her case. But when Benny goes off to discuss "business", he never includes her. Probably hasn't even considered it. She felt like no matter how hard she tried to be a part of his life, there was a barrier between them when it came to his casino and their friendship.

She wasn't blind. She knew about Benny's "business". He was a mob gangster, one of the three chairmen specifically picked by Mr. House, and when people ended up dead, or someone needed a good reminder about who's in charge, she knew Benny or his gang dealt with it. But the man acted like she didn't know a thing. She didn't want to work for Benny, or be one of his goons. She just wanted him to include her in his things. She wanted him to know that he could depend on her, and if he needed anything, _anything_ she would give it to him.

He sat back down next to her and picked up his cigarette from the ash tray and took a long drag. They were on top in the VIP section, looking down at the gamblers and the flashing lights of addiction. She always used to day dream of what the casino's looked like inside, especially the Lucky 38 tower where their mysterious ruler lived up there, like the gods.

Now used to being in The Tops, hell she lived there, the stench of gambling and smoke got old real quick and the wonder of the casino's just wasn't the same.

"Nah kid. The opposite actually." He said smiling, stretching his legs on the small table in front of them. They were quiet, just listening to the sounds of people celebrating the money they just won or cursing as they lost caps. The speakers were playing Sinatra's song, Blue Moon, and she leaned back on the leather couch, pulling her knees to her chest. She rolled her head to the side to look at the dark haired man. He was looking down over his casino, lost in whatever he was thinking about.

She couldn't help but trace her eyes down his face. To his perfectly slicked back hair, wrinkled forehead whenever he raised his brows that complimented him, a straight long nose and then to his thin lips. She lingered on his lips, imagining how soft they would feel...

_~And then there suddenly appeared before me... The only one my arms will ever hold... I heard somebody whisper, "Please adore me."...~_

She looked away, biting her bottom lip.

"I heard the old man is dead." She said, wanting to fill the suddenly thick air around her. "I didn't know he was hooked up on psycho." The old man she was referring to was an old gentleman who sang about stories of days before New Vegas. From time to time, she would sit and listen to him and brought his words to life in her head, imagining the nomadic warriors he sang of, and the tribes and leaders that valued honor and just the simple life. She of course had no clue of what he sang about, since it was before her time. She tried getting Benny to tell her about it, since he revealed to her he was just a young man back then when their were still tribes, but he refused and said that kind of lifestyle was in the past. The future was New Vegas.

"The old boy took one too many. That's why I don't do chems, dig." He said, taking a sip of strong whiskey from a glass cup.

She in turn took a swig from a glowing blue Quantum Nuka Cola bottle, scrunching up her face as the burning sensation went down her throat. "I'm going to be gone for a while." She said, looking at the blueness of the pop. "I got a long delivery this time that'll take me all the way to the borders."

She didn't notice him stiffen, or his knuckles turning white as he clenched the glass cup.

"I don't want you missing me or something." She joked. "It's a big one though. Mr. House ordered it specifically for himself. I don't know the details, since well he's the boss and he didn't have to tell the company anything... but I wonder what it could be." She was getting paid a generous amount of caps, 50,000 generous. And with a note to _personally_ give the package to Mr. House. No one had _ever_ seen the man, or even the inside of Lucky 38. To her, he was just a blank, mysterious figure that held great power all the way up there in the sky.

"...You the only one?" Benny asked.

She glanced at him and pursed her lips. She was ordered not to tell anyone anything about the delivery, but this was Benny. She told him everything.

"No. There's seven of us, or that's what Tim told me." Tim was one of her fellow couriers, and they would talk from time to time. He was the one that told her that he discovered that some of the other couriers got the same delivery, all from Mr. House. _But_ she was the only one that got a note to meet the man.

"I'm the sixth one."

Beside her, Benny got up, knocking down the bottle of whiskey, it's contents spilling onto the carpet floor.

She got up alarmed. "Benny are you okay?!"

He ran his fingers through his dark hair, messing up the gel and looked anywhere but to her. "No. No I'm fine kid. I just... I just need some fresh air." She moved to follow him but he stopped her with a raise of his hand. "Alone. I... I need to be alone."

He didn't look at her as he left.

He didn't see the hurtful look on her face. Or the wetness of her cheeks.

_~Blue moon... Now I'm no longer alone... Without a dream in my heart... Without a love of my own...~_

_0000000000_

_She woke up to the radio playing Sinatra's Blue Moon, the dream fading to the back of her mind. She laid in bed, just staring at the green wall of the tent, not wanting to get or move or anything. She felt like all the energy was drained out of her, and all she wanted to do was go back to her dreams instead of facing reality. She was safe there, comfortable even. Nothing could hurt her there._

She curled herself into a ball, trying to make the dream come back. Even if it wasn't a good one, it was one before... before he tore her life apart.

That was the last time she ever saw Benny. She tried searching for him, asking Swank where he left to but the Jack of Diamonds would lie to her, saying he didn't know. She knew he was lying since the man always tugged at his ears subconsciously. She went up to the presidential suite, which was the chairmen's floor, but he was gone. When she passed by Swank again to head out of the Tops, he stopped her.

"Look, I know I'm not supposed to tell you this. But you deserve to know. Benny's gone out with a bunch of Khans, looking for something." He said, darting his eyes around. "He didn't tell me much. Just that it would take him a few days to find it. But he said to keep an eye on you. Told me not to let you leave The Tops."

"But why?" Why would Benny just leave like that, without telling her. Why couldn't he just tell her himself. If he told her to never leave The Tops, she would do so without a thought. If he told her to stay by his side forever, she would do so in a heartbeat.

She would do anything for him.

"Look Doll, I'm just as clueless as you. Like I said, Benny didn't tell me a whole lot. And I'm his right-hand man, you dig?"

She looked towards the doors. "I can't stay. I've got an important delivery to make. I can't miss it."

"But Benny said-"

"Swank. Please just don't tell him. I _cannot_ miss this delivery." She implored.

He searched her eyes and sighed heavily. "Kitty cat, I could never say no to that face. Go on, I'll keep zip."

"Thanks. I'll come back with some of Ruby's Radscorpion Casserole, I promise." She said.

"You better!" Swank called out to her as she jogged out of the casino...

She squeezed her eyes shut, forcing the memory away. Why didn't she listen to him? Was this all her fault? This wouldn't have happened if she'd only stayed put. God, did she make him shoot her?

_No_. Don't be ridiculous. Benny didn't give a damn about her. He made it perfectly clear that night. It was only an inconvenience to him that he had to waste his time searching the other couriers when it was with her all along. The platinum chip. What was so damn important about it. Mr. House sent seven couriers for it. Benny scoured the wasteland for them. It seemed like everyone wanted the chip.

She got up. She was only wasting time trying to sleep again. The tent was empty when she left it. Lance was stationed where he was last night, keeping an eye out for any enemies.

"You're up. Lieutenant Hayes is waiting for you at the end of the road, under the bridge." Lance informed her.

She gave a nod and jogged down the street, passing the wrecked houses and down to where the road left through Primm. Just like he said, at the end of the road that led off back into the desert stood Hayes and Tyrone. She slowed down to a stop.

"Take this." Hayes handed her an 10mm pistol, as well as some ammo for the gun. "Don't worry about coming back. We will know if Major Knight got the message."

She checked the gun, holding it up to eye level. She put it down and turned to them. "Anything I should know?"

"We're not sure, but there might be some bandits hold up in the Nevada Highway Patrol Station. You should steer clear of that." Tyrone informed, "Other than that it's one long walk to the outpost."

She holstered the pistol, and gave a curt nod.

"Good luck courier." Hayes yelled to her retreating form.

She hoped she still had luck.


	6. The Golden Bull

The sun bristled hot on her skin, and made her sweat under her leather armor. The desert air wasn't helping either and she licked her dry chapped lips. It's been an hour since she left the compound, and she had already pass the Patrol Station building, taking note of what Tyrone said. She didn't need to go wasting her bullets on thugs. Radscorpions were more of a threat than a few bandits with guns.

She pulled out binoculars from her pouch to see if she could see the statue from here, and from a distance she could see the outline of it faintly. It was about a mile away, and she was relieved. Seriously, just two days ago she'd been shot in the head, and walking for hours in the desert wasn't helping her situation. She drank the last drop of her pop when she reached a rest stop. Too bad it wasn't a good place to rest as she crouched down and sneakily passed five radscorpions patrolling the place. If they spotted her, she would be a goner. She couldn't even face one of these fuckers on her own.

Lady Luck was watching down on her since the deadly scorpions didn't take notice of her. She stood up to walk normally when she was a safe distance away, and hiked up the long hill leading to two large statues made out of rusted metal, one of an desert ranger and a NCR soldier shaking hands. Ghost told her that it was for the Ranger Unification Treaty, or a big fuck you to the Legion as Ghost likes to put it.

Thinking of the ranger she could be watching her right now. She squinted her eyes at the buildings ahead and waved her arm, knowing Ghost saw it and maybe wouldn't shoot at her for fun this time. The first time that happened she booked it and hid, only coming out when Sergeant Kilborn came to get her, and made Ghost apologize for the scare. Ghost's apology was non-heartfelt and said she just got bored. The ranger wanted action, like fighting the Legion but she was stuck at the outpost watching Brahmin.

Without getting shot at, thankfully, the Courier made it inside the perimeter of the outpost, leaving behind the wreckage of pre-war cars that littered the street below.

"Courier." Sgt. Kilborn greeted her as she walked by. She gave the sergeant a nod and continued on her way past the fences and towards the HQ building. She wanted to head to the barracks and get some shut eye but it was business first, pleasure after. She groaned inwardly, that was what Benny told her. She really needed to stop thinking about him.

She entered the building, passing a few soldiers exiting out and walked up to the counter where a bored looking soldier stood reading some papers. Behind him were rows upon rows of file shelves, loose paper sticking out or on the floor.

Without looking up the soldier said, "Caravan, citizen, pilgrim, or...Oh it's you. You have a delivery for me?" He finally looked up, noticing the Courier.

"Message from Lieutenant Hayes stationed at Primm." She handed over the sealed envelope and Knight took it, opening it up and reading it's content. As she waited politely for him to finish, she perked up when Mr. New Vegas started speaking on the radio.

"I'm gonna play a song for you right now. It's for that special someone you find only once, in a blue moon."

_You've got to be kiddin me, _she thought as Blue Moon started playing on the radio. She stared at the radio incredulously, and wondered how much trouble she would be in if she shot the thing. It seemed like no matter how hard she tried not to think about _him, _he always had a way of wiggling into her thoughts.

Knight hummed in disapproval, "This is bad. NCRCF taking over Primm? Alright, here-" He handed her some caps, "For the trouble. I'll talk this with Ranger Jackson, and we'll see what we can do." He walked off as she stuffed the caps into her pouch. Her job done, she left, but not without giving the radio a stink eye. When she exited the HQ, someone yelled out her name.

"Hey, Courier!" She looked up at the top of the barracks and saw Ghost waving her over. She glanced at the barracks longingly, but she went up to the Ranger who walked backed to her position, watching the long stretch of road.

"You need something?" she asked.

Ghost leaned back on the sandbag walls, crossing her arms. "I need you to do a little recon scouting. I think there's trouble in Nipton - no traffic from there on the roads, and while I can explain that away, the smoke from the town I can't." The ranger looked out at the direction of said town. "I'm sure it's been hit - what I need to know is if they survived it. Might be Powder Gangers with all that smoke in the air. If there's anybody left, they'd be in the Nipton Town Hall."

"What's the cost for that?" Ghost asked, reaching into her satchel.

"28 caps, since there's no package." She answered. It shouldn't be too bad, go to Nipton, which she would be heading to anyways, take a look around and report back to Ghost. The sniper handed her the caps and she put them away.

"I'm going down to the bunkers to get some rest so in a few hours I'll be leaving." She informed the ranger.

"That's fine with me." Ghost said, "But listen - I don't want you getting killed for this, so if you head there and run into trouble, I'm asking for eyes and ears, not your life. All right?"

Would dying be bad the second time? Ironically, maybe she would get shot in the head. She nodded in understanding and walked back down the plank to the barracks. Inside, music reached her eyes as she took a seat on one of the stools at the bar, soldiers talking and laughing around her. A dark skinned woman came up to her.

"Courier, nice to see a fresh face around here. And not one that's drunk." Lacey, the bartender whispered as she pointed discreetly to a lone woman sitting down nursing a bottle of beer in her hands, three empty bottles surrounding her. "So what'll you have."

"Three purified waters and two Salisbury Steak." She paid the bartender and Lacey left to get the order.

She waited, thinking of nothing when she felt someone staring at her. Out of the corner of her eyes, she spotted the drunk woman looking at her. It was off putting but she ignored it and started to play around with the Pip-Boy. She just discovered the radio station when the drunk woman got up, staggered to her and plopped in the seat next to her.

"I used to look like you when I was your age. Pretty, young, had all the boys chasing after me." The woman hiccupped, "How old are you anyways? 15? 16?"

The Courier tensed at the woman's unreserved manner and wanted to get some distance between them. "I'm 13." She answered, inspecting the drunken woman closely. She dressed different, wearing red flannel under a brown leather jacket paired with dusty jeans and cowboy boots. On her head was a straw cowboy hat, and slung over her shoulder a bandaged caravan shotgun.

The woman waved her hand, "Fuck me. Hey, do you want some?" She swung a half empty beer in her face and the Courier shook her head. The woman shrugged, "All to myself then." She downed it in one go and slammed the bottle on the counter. "Hey Lacey another bottle!" She yelled when Lacey came back with her order. The bartender rolled her eyes, set down the Courier's food, snatched another bottle from the shelf and gave it to the woman.

"You better pay up before you leave, Cass." Lacey warned.

Cass laughed bitterly, "Who say's I'm ever gonna leave? I'm stuck here." She popped open the bottle and gulped it down, wiping her mouth afterwards. The Courier glanced at the woman, who stopped laughing and stared off at nothing, her lips pulled down looking downcast.

Against her better judgment she spoke, "Are you alright?"

Cass blinked out of her thoughts and turned to her. "All right? No, I'm not all right." She motioned to the bottle, "Drinking to forget, and it's only getting me mad instead. Whiskey always gets my temper up - now more than ever. Drinking used to cause all sorts of trouble back West - before a punched enough people, that is, and they learned to lay low when the whiskey hits."

The woman continued, most likely not caring if the girl was listening or not, she just wanted to rant. "I lost my caravan heading north, the driver burned to ash - and they didn't even take the cargo, they just burned that too." Cass shook her head in disgust. "It was probably those Legion dogs, they're trying to cut NCR's supply line... and the Mojave Outpost is proof. Got us locked up tighter than a New Vegas virgin."

If that were true, she would've been locked up in Lucky 38. But no, New Vegas shot their virgins in the head instead.

She tapped her index finger on the counter. "No caravans in, out, and just try arguing with Jackson about it. "Roads aren't safe," he says. No shit, you washed-out old fuckup, I didn't need a Brotherhood scribe to tell me that."

The Courier smiled despite herself, "That's one way of putting it."

Cass smiled back, "Yeah, he's been with NCR so long all he can see is the worst outcome of everything - so he doesn't do anything. Jackson won't let me head north, it's not safe... and even though my caravan's gone, my caravan papers are keeping me here. Fucking bullshit." She took another swig of the whiskey, wincing as the burn traveled down her throat.

"You said you're from the West?" The Courier asked. She never met someone from out of New Vegas, and that far away. It's a wondrous mystery to her, and she sometimes dreamed of heading out there and exploring the remains of the world. Her first destination would be the White House.

"Yeah, got a whole caravan business down there. Mostly water though, not like your Crimson Caravan... fuckers." She spat out as an after thought. Cass turned to the Courier, "What are _you_ doing all the way out here? Are you part of a family caravan?"

She shook her head, "No I'm just a courier. I'm heading down to Nipton for a job."

Cass hummed, "Maybe I should've signed up to be a courier. Would've been a lot easier than running a business all by myself." She smiled but it didn't reach her eyes. "Pa just up and left me. Didn't even say goodbye." She bit her lip, shaking her head, "I was just a girl like you, and all he left me with was his love for drinking." Cass fingered a pendant that rested on her chest. Subconsciously, the Courier reached for her necklace.

"My dad left me too." She whispered, moving her hand away from the bones. "He left and never came back." She didn't know why she was opening up to the woman. Maybe she was just tired from the walk, or her brain got scrambled up by the bullet. Or maybe it was just because Cass seemed just as sad as she was.

The woman chuckled, "Seems like we both got daddy issues." She finished the whiskey and rested her head on the cool counter. The Courier stared off at nothing, thinking of her dad. The agony she felt that day still lingered in her chest. Why did he had to go? Why couldn't he just stayed with her, and they would've been fine and happy and together. It wasn't paradise, but it was perfect, just for her.

Why did he leave her? Why did _they_ leave her?

She shut her eyes, forcing the image of her dad and Benny out of her head.

**_...they never loved you_****...**

She ignored the voice in her head and opened her eyes. She looked at Cass, and poked her. Nothing.

"I think she's asleep." She said to Lacey who was wiping down the counter.

Lacey put her hands on her hips. "Not again. Hey boys can you take sleeping beauty over here to her bunk." Two soldiers stood up and nodded, helping Cass up and taking her to the bunks. The Courier also got up and followed them. They placed Cass down on her bunk and left back to the bar. She took the bunk next to the woman and settled in herself.

She stared up at the bottom of the top bunk willing herself to go to sleep. Maybe in her dreams things would be better.

0000000000

It was pass mid-day when she got up and got ready to leave for Nipton. She bought a few stimpacks and rad-away from Lucey, got some of her guns repaired from Major Knight and was ready to go. She passed the statues when someone called out to her.

"Hey kid! Hey wait up!" She turned around to see Cass jogging up to her. She slowed down to a stop. "I'm coming with you."

The girl frowned. "To Nipton?"

Cass grinned, "Hell yeah. It's better than being stuck here."

The Courier bit her lip, thinking. It was just recon work. But what if she ran into trouble, or if something really bad happened at the town. She could use the extra help. "Okay."

Cass smiled and they started their way down the hill together...

"Oh, and do you know what a Moonshine is?"

0000000000

"What's your name? I can't just keep calling you kid. It makes me sound like an angry old man."

She reloaded her gun and got up from her cover behind a torn down wall of a house. She was glad she agreed for Cass to come along. Already they encountered 8 fire ants feeding on a huge Radscorpion, and now at the Nipton Road Pitt Stop where some jackals pinned them down. It was a short gun fight, what with Cass's surprisingly accurate aim with her shotgun.

"You can call me Courier." She answered, walking over to the dead bodies and searched for anything useful.

Cass made a face. "Courier? Don't you think you're taking your job a bit to seriously."

All n all she got some more ammo, some guns she could sell later, and five more stimpacks. "I don't remember my old name."

"Oh, well Courier it is then."

She straightened up and they continued down the road.

"Hey did you hear about what happened at the Legion?"

The Courier groaned in the inside. It was a good idea to bring Cass along, but she didn't know the woman like to talk. _A lot_. It didn't matter where they were at or what was happening, Cass always had time to talk. She was more vocal than a whore at Gomorrah getting paid 200 caps an hour. She didn't dislike Cass, but she was so used to being on her own out in the desert that silence was her only company.

"I heard that Caesar punished one of his precious legates. The guy failed to take over the Hoover Dam, and they said he got burned and tossed into the Grand Canyon. But they say his spirit lived on as a ghost and he haunts the Legion as the Burning Man. Serves those fuckers right."

"That's one hell of a way to go." she commented. Not that getting shot in the head wasn't but being burned alive? She would pick a quick bullet than that.

"Holy shit." Cass muttered.

They stopped, staring at the black smoke rising from the town ahead. They approached the entrance to the town slowly, a wooden sign reading NIPTON on a wagon placed in the front for all visitors.

"Oh shit..." She heard her partner curse under her breath. Before them, stabbed into the ground, were two red banners with a golden bull stitched on it. She'd never seen it before, but she's heard enough about the Legion to know what their flag looked like.

Suddenly a man came out of nowhere, running around, laughing and hollering. Cass whipped out her shotgun but the Courier held up her hand.

"Hold up." The Courier said as they watched the man run up to at them. He didn't look like a Legionnaire, and he was wearing Powder Ganger clothes. He stopped before them a wide, crazy grin on his face.

"Yeah! Who won the lottery? I did!" He exclaimed jamming a thumb to his chest. "Smell that air! Couldn't ya just drink it like booze!" He took in a deep breath and laughed insanely. Now that he mentioned it, she scrunched up her face at the smell. It smelled like something rotten was burning.

"What the fuck." Cass blurted out, disturbed by the man's jolly attitude.

"What sort of lottery did you win?" The Courier asked him calmly.

He lit up at the mention of a lottery and he smiled even wider, jumping up and down. "What lottery? _The _lottery, that's what lottery! Are you stupid?"

Her hand twitched over her gun.

"Only lottery that matters! Oh my god smell that air!" He breathed in again, spinning around laughing.

"Can I shoot him?" Cass asked, pointing her shotgun at the delusional man.

"No. Hey, can you tell me what happened here?" She asked him.

He stopped and turned to her, "Don't you get it? _I_ won the lottery! I'm a winner! I won the motherfucking lottery!" He laughed again and took off running, exiting the town entrance and into the desert.

"That was pointless." Cass said watching the strange man run off still yelling about winning a lottery. The Courier frowned, and started towards the burning fire pit. It was huge, parts of houses or whatever were burning. As she got closer she realized what the terrible smell was that permeated the air. Mutilated bodies were thrown in. Heads, torsos, legs and arms. Cass gagged and covered her mouth, looking away cursing.

"Hello!"

Both girls looked towards the voice. Cass cursed vehemently and the Courier tensed. From down the road at the end in font of Nipton's Town Hall stood a squadron of red wearing gladiators.

"Shit, shit, shit this is not good." Cass said beside her. What other choice did they have but to head towards them. If they ran, they would surely hunt them down and kill them. There were more of than, at least eight bigger. And if they chose to start shooting, well most likely the result would be the same. They walked past burning houses, and she looked at people staked on electrical poles. _They were still conscious. _

So these were the legionnaires. Ruthless, cold-hearted murderers.

They stopped before who must be the leader, two skinny vicious looking dogs prowling by his side growling at them. He stood up straighter than the rest, and held an air of authority around him. He was tall, taller than her and Cass and wore gladiator armor. Heavy pads rested on his shoulder and he adorned a fox mask. The only part of his face she could see was below the nose, since his eyes were hidden by a pair of dark glasses. He didn't say anything, and she could feel him inspecting the two. He gave a small smile, as if to reassure them he was friendly.

"Don't look so worried, I won't have you lashed to a cross like the rest of these degenerates. It's useful that you happened by." He spoke calmly, as if discussing the morning weather. "I want you to witness the fate of the town of Nipton, to memorize every detail. And then, when you move on? I want you to teach everyone you meet the lesson that Caesar's Legion taught here, especially any NCR troops you run across." He said directly to Cass and then turned to her.

"And you, I'm afraid we only need one person to spread our lesson." A Legionnaire came up behind the girl and pulled her hands back roughly, tying them together with rope.

Cass whipped out her shotgun, "Get your fucking hands off her. We're not spreading your bullshit and you're going to let us go or else."

The man raised a brow, "Or else what? I suggest you leave when you have the chance woman."

At that Cassidy seethed, her face turning red from anger. Her grip on the gun was so tight she was practically shaking. The woman flickered her eyes to the man and to the Courier.

The Courier shook her head.

After a tense stand off she lowered the gun. The man didn't smile but said, "Good. Now go, I bid you "Vale" - until we meet again." Cass looked like she wanted to shoot his face off. She looked one more time at the girl, worry wrought in her face and turned around, marching back down the street and disappearing behind a building to the right.

When she was gone, the fox man turned to her. "What is your name child."

She stared at him, "Courier."

"A messenger. We should've used you instead. Alas it is far to late for you child." He addressed the legionnaire gripping her arm. "Remove her weapons and take her back to camp." The legionnaire saluted and dragged her aside, taking her rifle and newly acquired pistol and threw them on the floor. He searched through her pouch, taking her supplies. Thank god she always kept her special drug in her shoe. She didn't want them taking that away.

The legionnaire finished and grabbed her arm and started down the road, another legionnaire accompanying them, his gun trained on her.

Cass was coming back, she was sure of it. With a lot of NCR soldiers. They would take back the town.

All she needed to do was escape.

0000000000

Which was easier said than done.

She bit her lip as the warrior shoved her forward. With her hands bound, she had to stumble and catch herself from falling on her face. So far, and she made a mental note, they crossed the rail road, and up a curvy road that she knew lead to the other side of the long, continuous hills that acted like a border. They were on the path to Novac, but she was sure they didn't have control over that town. There was the NCR controlled Ranger Stationed Charlie the legion had to go through first.

The sun was sinking, the sky a dusty red above them and the wind turned chilly. They passed a grazing Bighorner pack, and went under a highway that rose up from the ground. In the middle, the road broke off, leaving a gap so wide it was impossible to cross. They veered off the road, heading towards the hard sandy mounds. They trudged up a big hill, and when they reached the top, she could see the camp the fox man was talking about.

In total, there were three tents, two red ones for sleeping, and a large one that she noticed held supplies when they passed by.

"A new one from Nipton." The man with the gun said to two other legionnaires. The other one pulled her to a fire pit, where two other hostages were kneeling down at. He shoved her to down and she landed hard on her knees.

"Try to run and we'll cut your legs off." He forewarned and left her to join his comrades. Behind her back, she tested the ropes. They were harsh, and dug into her skin unpleasantly, and unfortunately it didn't seem like it was going to loosen anytime soon. She glanced at the other two, whom looked down right hopeless. One was even shirtless.

"Are both of you Powder Gangers?" She asked to the two. One ignored her but the shirtless one looked up.

"Yeah. But I don't think that means jack-shit right now." He said. "To them, we're just their fucking slaves."

So this was a slave camp. That meant they would be transported to across the river and to the heart of the legion itself. No way was she letting that happen. Like she said, she was thankful she hid her special chem in her boot, and in the other one, a small but sharp knife.

"Listen. Both of you." She whispered harshly. "I got a plan, and it may or may not work but I'm not going to sit around waiting to become a slave." To be honest, she thought that would be the last thing that would ever happen to her. Above getting shot by your friend on the list.

"What do you have in mind? Kick them to death?" The clothed Powder Ganger piped up sarcastically. "Because I would like to avoid getting a few holes in my body."

"Shut up Ricky." The shirtless one said and turned to her. "Let's hear it kid."

"I have a knife in my boot. I can cut the ropes bounding my wrists, and then I'll release you two. But we have to wait till it gets dark. If we're making a run for it, it would be easier if they can't see us."

Ricky scooted closer with his knees. "And how do we know you ain't just gunna run off when you cut your ropes, huh? I say you release us first and we'll take on the legion. Grab their guns and shoot up the place."

She glared at him, "We'll all die if we follow your plan."

"No, no he's right. You hand over the knife and once we're free we'll release you and we run." The shirtless one agreed. She glared at the both of them. "Sorry kid, but I can't just trust you not to run away."

She didn't like it, but what other choice did she have? She was actually thinking of using them as a distraction. Three people running would be harder to track down. She was hoping the legionnaires would go after the other two than her. "Fine," she spat out. "But not until it gets dark. How long have you been here." She asked to the shirtless ganger.

"Bought two days." He replied.

"Have you studied their patterns. When do they go to sleep, who patrols day or night. How many stay awake at night."

He scrunched up his face in concentration, "Well, what I saw there's only three of them here. Five now with the two that brought you here. Usually there's only one guard at night, and he takes rounds around the camp."

"Which one is it."

"That one." He motioned with his head to a legionnaire branding two swords on his back. "We can take him on. Two against one, he doesn't stand a chance."

"If you can then do so." she said. "But make sure he doesn't alert the others. We don't want them chasing us when he sees us gone."

"Course. We won't let him have a chance to even scream."

She pursed her lips. Hopefully they won't let him even make a sound. She adjusted herself so that she was sitting crisscross, her knees aching from kneeling for so long. They didn't talk to each other after, not wanting to make the legionnaires suspicious. Soon, the sun disappeared and the red seeped from the sky as dark blue took it's place. Once the stars started shining in the night sky, the other legionnaires went to their cots. The one with the two swords came over to them, looking at them one by one before walking off to start his round.

She made sure he was out of sight, and slipped her hand in her boot, pulling out the knife.

"Give it here." The shirtless one said and she scooted closer to him and handed him the knife. She scooted away, incase the legionnaire came back and catch them. He grunted and there were small scratching sounds but finally the ropes fell loose and he rubbed his free wrists.

"Hey man now me." Ricky hissed.

"Yeah calm your shit, I'm on it." He walked to his buddy and cut his ropes. They both stood up and the shirtless one turned to her, "We'll get rid of the guard. Stay put."

_Like I'm going anywhere, _she thought. The two gangers crouched and disappeared to where the guard left to. While waiting, she stood up and stretched her legs. She was beginning to worry when a scream pierced the silent night. She froze, eyes wide.

"FAVEO! FAVEO! FAV-" The scream was cut off, but it didn't matter. It was too late. The sleeping legionnaires sprung awake, wielding their swords and spears. She had a split second to realize what was going on before booking it into the desert night.

"Qui illic est!" She heard one yell behind her. With hands still tied, she ran as fast as she could go, jumping over rocks and down a slope. Something whizzed passed her head and a spear struck the ground in front of her. She chanced a glance back and saw two running after her. Adrenaline rushed through her veins and she didn't even register that she jumped off a small cliff, landing on her feet and rolling to absorb the impact. She was up after a second, running to hopefully the right direction to Novac.

She turned around again, to see if they were still in pursuit but she couldn't see them. She whipped her head back to the front and leaped over a blue Radscorpion. She didn't even stop, and she heard the hiss of the predator and the click clack of it chasing after her.

_Fuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuck!_

How was this even happening?! A huge stinger struck the air next to her, making her run faster. Her chest ached, and her legs burned like hell but she didn't dare slow down. The scorpion was relentless in it's chase and followed her, lashing out with it's stinger to stab her.

She almost skidded to a halt when she realized she ran across a road. She turned violently, nearly tripping and sprinted down the road to where the town had to be. And thank Vegas she could see the huge dinosaur in the distance. The town guards would shoot down the scorpion when she reaches the perimeter.

A gun shot rang off, and she felt something graze her leg, making her wince but not enough to slow the fuck down. Another shot and she realized someone was shooting at _her_. Yelling and hollering filled the air as she passed the Viper Encampment she had forgotten was there. They shot at her, catching the attention of the Radscorpion and it turned towards the bandits, preferring the motionless prey than the fast one it was chasing. The Vipers turned their attention to the bigger threat and started pelting the scorpion with bullets.

She didn't care about either one of them. Once she reached the town she was home-free. But that must've been what the Viper's thought as well since three broke off from the group and started chasing after her.

"Get back here girl!"

"I'm gonna rip your pretty face off!"

She heard them holler at her. Fear made her feet fly and she was getting closer and closer to the town. Just a little bit more...just a little...!

A single, ear-splitting bullet rang through the air and she stopped immediately.

Two more ear-shattering cracked in a row not missing a beat. Behind her, she heard two bodies fall down. She held her breath, frozen on the spot.

She knew that type of sound.

It was the powerful reverberation of a sniper rifle crushing through bone with unerring accuracy.

She gazed up at the dinosaur's head and wondered-

When did Novac get a sniper?


	7. Dinky the T-Rex

"Just sit right down there sweetie. I'm gon' go fetch Dr. Strauss and she's gonna take care of your leg okay?"

The old woman, Jeannie, sat her down on one of the chairs gently. She hissed as her leg brushed against the chair, irritating the wound on the back of her thigh. With her hands now free, she rubbed her leg. She didn't notice it due to the adrenaline, but now that she'd calm down, the graze she felt turned into a sting and then to an intense burning. She found out the bullet didn't just graze her, it dug into the back of her right thigh and left a wide opening when it passed through, tearing flesh.

She glanced at the wound and looked away swallowing back bile. Part of her skin was hanging off, and how in the world did she not notice that when running?

The old lady left, and she rested her head back on the wall. Right now she would kill for a stimpack. Exhausted, she breathed in and out, trying to suppress the pain shooting up her leg. The radio was on playing a song and she tried focusing on that. The door opened again, and a woman strode in, followed by Jeannie and two armored guards.

"I'm Dr. Strauss," the woman said bending down, "Can you raise your leg for me?" The girl swallowed and slowly raised her leg. It took every ounce of strength she got, and her leg started to shake from the stress. Strauss reached over and pulled a chair up and she laid her leg down on it gratefully.

"Hand me your arm." Strauss said and she did so. The doctor inserted a stimpack, and she felt the effects instantly. The pain was muted, if only slightly but it was better than before. The doctor took a look under her thigh and clucked her tongue. "It's healing alright but I'm going to have to stitch your skin together." She looked up and gave the girl an apologetic look. "I'm sorry but I don't have much supplies, that includes med-x. You think you can hold up with the pain?"

The girl gritted her teeth, her skin clammy but she nodded her head. Dr. Strauss gave her a thin smile and clicked open a brown medical bag. She pulled out a knife and cut some of the cloth around the wound. She reached back in and pulled out a medium clear glass bottle. She untwisted the cap and looked at her.

"This is going to sting okay?"

The Courier nodded her head and shifted her leg so the wound was facing upward. Her heart was beating so fast and she sucked in air as the doctor poured the alcohol on the bleeding wound. Her leg jerked violently, shoving the chair. Strauss held her down, instructing her to breath in and out, in and out. She was trying but god it really hurt. Her face twisted in agony and she gripped the sides of the chair. In the back of her mind, she thought, shouldn't she be drunk for this?

The intense burning didn't leave and she squeezed her eyes shut. _God god ouch fuck it hurt owowowow _It felt like a thousand fire ants were biting her at once. This hurt more than the pain in her head.

"Just listen to the music, pay attention to the music. It's okay you're halfway through, okay?" She felt someone's hand brush her sticky forehead and she nodded, her eyes fluttering open and close.

_~Let's ride into the sunset together...Stirrup to stirrup, side by side...When the day is through, I'll be here with you...Into the sunset we-__**FUCK**__FUCKFUCK OWOWOWO_

"Shhh shh it's alright, it's okay, it's okay. Just a few stitches more and then we'll be done. Just hang in there. Sorry I swear this would've been a lot less painful with med-x."

_You think?! _She wanted to say but her jaw was screwed shut.

"What are you doing?" A deep voice said from somewhere in the room. "Move aside."

She heard some shuffling and felt a rough hand grip hers. "You got to breath. Squeeze my hand if you feel pain." She was already doing so, and it eased the pressure of the sharp stings. She felt something prod her mouth and she clamped her lips shut.

"Drink. This'll lessen the pain." The voice said, and she opened her lips slightly. Liquid poured into her mouth and burned all the way down her throat to pool warmly at the bottom of her stomach. She gulped it down till her head became dizzy. Her head lolled to the side and she couldn't think straight. There was a faint pinching but by now she couldn't really focus on it.

"-is your name?"

_mmmh? Was someone talking to her?_

"-your name. What is your name?" It was the same voice.

She fluttered her eyes open and rolled her head to the other side. She couldn't really see his face, or she presumed the person was a he since his voice was obviously masculine. He was just a fuzzy blob and there was something red on top.

_What was that?_

She reached out feebly and felt smooth skin before something pulled her hand down.

She hissed as a sharp sting shot up her leg. "Ouch..." she mumbled weakly.

"What is your name?" He asked again.

_Her name? Why does this feel familiar. Name...name...name..._

Her father's face flashed in her mind followed by screaming and burning and god the sounds nonononodon't remember don't remember _don't remember_

"No...no..I don't...remember...I can't, I can't-"

"Hey, hey it's okay, you don't have to tell me." She felt something wipe her cheek and she didn't realize she was crying.

"All done." a woman's voice said and she heard a _snip_ and a_ click_ and many footsteps walking around her. She heard voices and someone lifted her up off the chair. Strong arms held her close to something warm and she rested her head against whatever it was. It rose up and down, the rhythm soothing and she was drifting off...

Cold air woke her up a little but she soon slipped back into unconsciousness.

The last thing she remembered was being laid down on something soft before the darkness swallowed her up.

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Like the first time she woke up at Doc Mitchell's place, she felt like utter shit. The pain, which she couldn't feel when sleeping, came back to her full force and she gritted her teeth. She laid there, breathing in and out. Slowly, she sat up and moved out of the bed to stand. Which was a wrong move since when she put force on her right leg it flared and she sat back down. Rubbing her leg, she took a minute to catch her breath.

She was in a room, probably one of the rooms in the motel. Light streamed in from the cracks in the curtains and she was on one of the old beds. Again, she got up and pushed through the pain and limped to the bathroom. She flicked on the switch, but the room remained dark, the light having broken years ago. Despite the absence of light, she limped to the sink and turned on the faucet. Radiated water gushed out and she cupped her hand under and wiped her sweaty face with cool water.

She turned it off and leaned on the sink, just collecting herself. Water dripped off her nose and she straightened up, looking at her reflection. Man she looked terrible. Her face was paler than her already pale skin, and dark circles hung under her eyes. She closed her eyes and opened them. No point in staying here. She wasn't weak.

Someone had undressed her in the night, leaving her with only her under shirt and panties on. She didn't notice when she woke up that her armor was on the night stand table. She got suited up, and frowned at the hole in her pants where her wound was. Well, at least it wont be bothering her. The stitched were covered with Velcro wrap so it wouldn't get infected.

Accompanied with her clothes was a stimpack and she injected it in. When she opened the door, light blinded her and she raised her arm to shield herself. She stepped out onto what was a long walkway on the second floor of the motel, stairs to her left leading down to the ground.

The girl stood for a moment, gazing at the beautiful sunrise. She looked away, and walked down the stairs. Trying as best as she can to walk, she made her way to the Dino Dee-lite motel office and pushed open the door. It jingled and she stepped into the room she was in last night. The owner, Jeannie May Crawford looked up from whatever she was doing and smiled pleasantly at her.

"I wasn't expecting you to wake up so soon. Please, have a seat, your leg must be killin' ya." She sat down on one of the chairs as Jeannie got up and walked around the desk to her. "Here you must be hungry." The old lady handed her a box of BlamCo Mac & Cheese, and a fork. She thanked her and dug in. It was stale, but she was starving so it didn't matter.

As she ate, she tried to remember last nights event. It was a bit hazy, the only thing she really remembers clearly was the pain. Up to the point when Strauss poured alcohol on her wound, she could remember, but after it was all foggy... and then someone talking to her. His voice was faint, and she couldn't remember what exactly he was saying to her. But it was... nice.

"Was there a man with me yesterday?" she asked.

Jeannie, who returned to her desk looked up. "Oh, you must be talking about Boone."

_Boone?_

"Such a sweetheart. He puts up a cold front but last night he took right care of you. Even carried you to bed and checked on you throughout the night."

She blinked and looked down. "He did?" she whispered.

_Warm...it lulled her to sleep..._

"What was that honey?" Jeannie asked, breaking her out of her thoughts.

"Nothing. Nothing...do you know where he is?"

"He's sleepin' right now. Oh, don't worry you didn't keep him up all night. He's our town watch guard. He takes the nightshift while Manny takes over in the day. You can usually find him up at old Dinky the T-Rex over there." Jeannie explained.

"Is he a sniper?" she asked. No one other than an elite sniper could shoot that good. He was probably better than Ghost, and _she_ was really good.

Jeannie waved her hand, "Yes he is. He used to be a 1st Recon sharpshooter in the NCR till he quit and moved down here. He and Manny both. They are a blessing to this town, keeping us regular folks safe day and night."

1st Recon? Weren't they the best of the best in the NCR. She heard they could shoot you down from miles away, through the head. They were the NCR's shiniest group. Aside from the Rangers, 1st Recon's turned the tides in a battle.

She got up, minding her leg, and threw away the box in a trash can. Now with breakfast finished, she needed to get some supplies. Which meant she needed caps. And all her caps were stolen by the legion.

"Do you know where I can get some work?" She asked to Jeannie.

"Work?" Jeannie said incredulously, "You've been through a surgery for godsake! Nope, no working for you. You need to rest up till you feel all better."

"But I have nothing to pay you with for the room."

Jeannie gave her a warm smile, "When you delivered two letters for me across the Mojave, that's payment enough."

She really needed caps though, but maybe the old lady was right. She did need the rest. Her leg would be an impediment to her out there. And if she ran into serious trouble, she couldn't run, which was always her first choice. Hey, it got her this far. If she couldn't run well... Maybe she'll stay in Novac for a day or two. By that time, her leg will get better and she could leave.

She relented, "Okay. But I really do need caps. Do you know what I can do?"

Jeannie took on a thoughtful look, "...I suppose Cliff could find something for you do to. He owns the Dino Bite gift shop in Dinky's belly."

She leaned forward, as if she was sharing with her a secret plan. "I think he gets lonely standing around in that dino belly all day. He'll be glad for the company."

She nodded, "Ok... Is Ranger Andy around?" She knew the Ranger, got him to teach her a few thing or two about fighting hand to hand combat. He liked the kid, and maybe he would let her borrow some guns he didn't need.

"Oh yes he's still around. Still hurt. But still around."

"Okay, thank you." She said and opened the door.

"Get some rest okay? And watch out for strangers!" Jeannie said behind her as she stepped outside.

Outside, she was halfway to the large dinosaur when a familiar voice called out to her.

"Well butter my butt and call me a biscuit, if it ain't my old friend from Goodsprings!"

She froze. No, it couldn't be.

"_Victor?_" she said, bewildered. Sure enough, the securitron rolled up to her and gave her a friendly wave.

She gawked at him, "What, what are you doing here?" This was it. She had a stalker. A _robotic_ stalker. Was he following her all this time?

"Don't rightly know - I just got the notion to make my way to New Vegas. Reckon I'll find out when I get there." The robot said, sounding confused.

She realized she was still gaping at him and shut her mouth with a clack. Okay, so maybe he wasn't following her, or that was just the most dumbest and poorest excuse she's ever heard.

"But hey! What a coincidence you and me meeting like this?" Victor exclaimed chuckling. It was one hell of a coincidence. Almost impossible really...

She looked at him suspiciously, "Did someone wire you to follow me."

"What? No I don't recall so. I think I would've known if someone programmed me to follow you across the Mojave."

She pursed her lips. That didn't sound reassuring. But who would want to keep tabs on her? Surely not Benny. He thought she was dead. And she couldn't think of anyone from Goodsprings, they hardly know her. Was the robot just following her then? Or maybe she was being paranoid and this really was just an outrageously odd coincidence.

"Okay..then. I, uh, gotta get going so... bye." She turned away and started limping towards the gift shop.

"Oh n' one more thing partner!" She stopped and looked back at him questionably. "Novac folk usually see anyone traveling this way... including some _individuals_ headin' to New Vegas."

She frowned at him, and was going to ask what he meant by that but the securitron rolled away before she could.

"Happy Trails Partner!" He yelled back, disappearing behind the motel. She wanted to go after him, but to be honest, her leg was killing her and she just didn't have the will or the motivation to do so. But what did he mean about Novac folk seeing people travel to New Vegas. She pondered his words as she climbed up the steps to the door in the dinosaur's belly.

_... including some individuals headin' to New Vegas..._

Was he, was he referring to Benny? That would make sense. This _is_ the only safe path back to New Vegas. Surely Benny must've passed by here. And the only one's who could've seen him was the town guards. If they watched the roads all day and night, then they would've seen Benny pass by. And Victor said individuals, meaning Benny had company with him. She wasn't the type for revenge, but maybe the others could give her a little insight as to why Benny shot her.

With a new purpose in mind, she opened the door to the Dino Bite gift shop and stepped inside.

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A jingle made her presence known, and the owner, a bald dark skinned man, jumped in surprise, two miniature figures of Dinky falling from his hands.

"Oh! Uh..." He bent down quickly and picked up the two Dinky's. "Welcome to the Dino Bite Gift Shop. My name's Cliff." He said straightening up. "If you're here for the t-rex figurines-" He set the two t-rex figurines down, giving one a pat on the head, "-you're just in time. There's still a few left."

She glanced around the room, seeing a bunch of Dinky figurines lining the shelves.

"On sale. There's still time left to buy a t-rex figurine on sale." Cliff added, noticing her look.

She stepped up to the counter. "Actually, I'm looking for work. Jeannie May said you might have something for me to do."

He looked dejected for a minute and nodded his head. "Yeah. I do. There's some stuff in the back that needs organizing. I haven't gotten around to doing it because I... You know, got a shop to run."

The store was empty.

She nodded her head. "Ok.." She walked behind the counter and he moved aside to let her through to the back. The door was already open, and she stepped inside. In the room, there was just a simple desk, with a file cabinet next to it and a whole lot more of Dinky's everywhere. Boxes of packages were opened, and she could see more Dinky's stuffed inside.

She picked one up, "...What exactly do you want me to organize?"

Cliff stood behind her, looking at the Dinky's anxiously. "Oh.. you know, just them... Uh, put them in the boxes and seal it up..."

"Okay..."

As she picked up the small dinos, Cliff spoke up conversationally.

"You know, people see this place and they see the sign and think, gift shop? That's just too good to be true. But Jeannie May always points them back in my direction." He chuckled, "Aside from the t-rex figurines, which is the bread and butter of this store, we also sell REPCONN factory souvenirs - rockets and such." He held up a miniature rocket. She looked up from her work to see the toy.

"Why is it glowing." she asked curiously.

He shook the toy, "It's got a liquid inside them that makes it glow. These rockets are scale replicas of the real thing. Very detailed. From what I hear, REPCONN used to give them out on tours of their HQ up in Henderson." He set the rocket down, "But I guess they had to stop after the first few kids thought they were filled with Nuka Cola and drank it down."

He chuckled at that and she looked away, her cheeks tinging a light pink. She thought the same thing to.

He leaned back on the peeling yellow wall. "The papers had a name for the condition and everything. They called it the "REPCONN Shakes." Those were bad times for RobCo."

She held one Dinky down, preventing it from popping out and shut the box flap on it, sealing the box with duct tape. She got up, dusting her hands on her pants and turned towards him.

"Oh, you done? Alright, here you go." He handed her 15 caps.

She walked past him and peered up at the stairs. "Can I go up there?"

"Uh, yeah I guess. Manny our town guard is up there. I'm sure he won't mind."

She didn't wait for him to finish. She climbed up the stairs and outside - inside the mouth of Dinky the dinosaur. A man was crouched down, rifle on his shoulder which stuck out of Dinky's mouth.

"Are you Manny?" she asked.

He didn't turn around, "Who wants to know?"

She ignored his question. "You watch the roads right."

This time he got up and slung the rifle over his shoulder. "Yeah. You see a rifle barrel sticking out of the dinosaur's mouth, you got a fifty-fifty shot it's me. Otherwise it's Boone."

"Have you seen a man in a checkered coat pass by."

He squinted his eyes at her. "Sure, I know him. What do you want with him?"

She pursed her lips and ignored his question again. "Do you know the people who were with him?"

He crossed his arms over his chest. "You ask a lot of questions kid and not a lot of explaining."

She knitted her brows, "They took something of mine. I want it back." She lied easily.

He raised a brow. "You intend to confront them? I don't think that's such a smart idea kid. The guy, Benny, he's traveling with some members from my old gang. They were going to Boulder City."

"You know the people he was traveling with?" she asked.

"Yeah, McMurphy and Jessup. They're Great Khans and again kid, I don't think its' a good idea to go after them. They'll kill you - they don't care who you are or how old you are." Manny warned seriously.

_A little too late, _she thought bitterly. She would've actually preferred them doing the deed rather than Benny. Would've lessen the sting of betrayal.

"Don't worry, I'm not leaving anytime soon." She said, moving her right leg.

He eyed the leg and smiled. "So you're the one Boone told me about. He said he watched this girl come out of nowhere getting chased by a Radscorpion, and then by some Vipers. With her hands tied." He chuckled, "Damn kid what kind of luck do you have."

"None at all." She muttered and turned to leave.

"Hey wait. Boone said to tell you to go talk to him when his shift starts, which is after my shift so at night."

She frowned in confusion, "Why does he wanna see me?"

Manny shrugged, "Beats me kid. Guess you gotta find out from him."

Weird. Maybe he wanted to check up on her. But couldn't he just pop in her room?

She went back down into the gift shop and made a beeline to the door.

"Hey, um... are you sure you don't wanna buy a figurine?" Cliff blurted out before she could reach the door.

She turned to him and shook her head. "No... but do you have any supplies for sale?"

"Supplies? I, uh, well... yeah, I guess I might have something." He sighed, "Darn it. No one ever buys the t-rexes."

She bought with what little caps she got some stimpacks, one rad-away, and a boxed meat.

"Thanks again! And come back anytime if you ever wanna buy a t-rex." Cliff said as she left out the door.


	8. One for My Baby

Stuck in town till her leg gets better, she decided to first get all the stuff she needed. Already, she got some supplies and spare caps, and she just came back from Ranger Andy with a 44. magnum revolver strapped to her waist. She did though had to perform the _Ranger Takedown _on the Ranger himself, which hurt like a bitch with her leg. Since she was smaller, she had to resort to her agility and swiftness to take a grown man down in a fight.

It was funny, one time coming back from Novac she was so excited she learned a trick from a _Ranger_ that she went up to Benny and showed him. The checkered man didn't even know what hit it him and he went sprawling on the floor in a daze. Swank laughed, until she performed the trick on him too. They both agreed on never letting her do it again. Benny's back hurt for a week after that, and he forced her to massage his back everyday. She didn't mind much, because it was either her or some slut and well, she didn't like Benny with other woman.

She would always feel this burning in her chest when she catches Benny talking with beautiful woman. He would always use the same trick. Swagger up to them charmingly collected, and dazzle them with his smile. He would lean into her ear, tell her something, and she would pull back laughing like a bell. Benny always chose the prettiest ones. She would look at them, and compare herself to them.

Flawless skin, a plump lip, beautiful long hair, a voluptuous body fit into an amazing dress that clung to every curve... Benny knew how to pick his woman. She would look at herself in the mirror. Thin chapped lips, a little bit sun burnt skin, short messy hair, and skinny as a twig. Well, not as a twig, she had muscles from running around. She turned to the side and placed her hands on her chest, and wondered would they grow that big like the woman out there?

People said she had a doll face, especially Swank. But what did it matter? Her stomach would twist when Benny would lead the woman into the elevator. All those times she would feel hollow inside, and very, very sick. Her feelings for Benny were strong, and she wanted to tell him but she was too afraid. Afraid of rejection. And maybe he would leave her.

She would rather die than have Benny leave her. So she sits silently as the _woman_ of New Vegas love Benny the way the girl wanted to.

How ironic.

The sky darkened as she finished with her task of throwing away anything non-metal in the garbage at Gibson scrap yard. She went around Novac, looking for any menial jobs she could do for some caps. Old Lady Gibson had something for her to do, and she got paid 50 caps. Her back ached, and her leg throbbed, but she remembered what Manny said and reluctantly made her way to Dinky.

"Oh, your back! Must be doing something right." Cliff greeted her.

"I-um I'm actually going up..."

"Oh. Ok yeah that's fine. Ok."

She gave a thin smile to the owner and walked up the stairs and back out in Dinky's mouth. She closed the door behind her and turned around to see a man facing her already. She had a brief moment to study his face when he spoke up.

"How's your leg." He asked coolly and she had a faint memory of that same voice.. She now had a face to put with it. He wore a red beret on his head, and his eyes were covered by a pair of dark sunglasses. The only parts of his face she could see was his straight nose, thin lips set in a permanent line, and a strong jaw. He was way taller than her, she reaching up over his waist. He wore just a plain loose shirt with military styled cargo pants and combat boots. A hunting rifle was slung over his back... and was that a scope on it?

She moved her right leg, "Fine. Your friend said you wanted to talk to me."

His lips pulled down, "He's not my friend."

She didn't say anything to that and said, "What do you want?"

If possible, his neutral face flickered in annoyance. "I need someone I can trust. You're a stranger. That's a start."

She frowned at his logic. "You only trust strangers?" If she did that, she would've been dead a long time ago.

He snapped at her, "I said it was a start. This town... nobody looks me straight in the eye anymore."

_Maybe because you're wearing sunglasses_, she thought. No way could this be the same guy that Jeannie was talking about. They hadn't even talked for a minute and she already disliked him, and she had a sneaking suspicion the feeling was mutual.

He continued, "I want you to find something out for me. I don't now if there's anything to find, but I need someone to try." His face hardened, "My wife was taken from our home by Legion slavers one night while I was on watch. They knew when to come and what route to take, and they only took Carla. Someone set it up. I don't know who."

She looked away. Well now she felt like a jerk. "Your trying to track down your wife?"

That was the wrong thing to say because the man glared and said with restrained anger, "My wife's dead. I want the son of a bitch who sold her."

"What do you want me to do about it." she asked.

"You're new around here. Not many people know you, or will suspect you of snooping around. No one in town knows that I know what happened to my wife. Best they never know. Or the Legion will be after me next."

"You think someone from town did this?"

He pursed his lips, "I'm sure of it. It would be impossible for the Legion to sneak into town without raising alarms. They had to have inside help. Someone who knows my pattern so when the Legion came and took Carla, I wouldn't be there to save her."

That did make sense. But she couldn't think of anyone willingly helping out the Legion. But as he said, she was knew around here. And she knew that people weren't always what they seem.

"Ok. I'll do what I can." She wasn't leaving for Boulder City any soon, and she didn't want to spend her days laying in bed... And plus he helped her. She felt like she needed to repay him in some way.

"Good. I'll make it worth your while. And here-" He took off his beret, revealing a shaved head and handed it to her. "Bring him out in front of the nest here while I'm on duty. Wear this and it'll be our signal, so I know you're standing with him." He looked away to the ground below them. "And I'll take care of the rest. I need to do this myself."

Bringing someone out to get killed. Revenge. Her pa used to say revenge will never solve anything. It won't bring a person's soul to rest. She shouldn't be judging Boone. Hell, she was following Benny to get... revenge? Was that why she was following him. Now that she thinks about it, she had no clue what to do when she confronts Benny.

She just... needed answers. A reason why. Something. Anything. She just wanted to know _why_.

"Anyone I should go to first?" she asked, shaking the depressing thoughts away.

He tensed, "... Maybe, talk with Manny first."

She raised a brow in surprise, "The other town guard?" She wouldn't have thought that Manny did this. Wasn't he an NCR soldier as well? The two sides hated each other. She didn't think Manny would make a deal with legionnaires without shooting at them first.

"Yeah. When Carla disappeared, Manny was the first person to tell me. He never liked Carla, and I could tell he was glad about it. I know it doesn't seem much, but that's my first choice. His room is the first door on the bottom."

Then that was her first stop. She nodded her head and turned around to leave.

"And one more thing. We shouldn't speak again. Not until it's over." Boone added.

She gave a curt nod in understanding and left down the stairs, passing Cliff again and out of the dinosaur to the motel. It was now dark, the moon shining in the inky black sky, surrounded by trillions of stars. Light glowed from the cracks of the window flaps, meaning Manny was still awake. She stopped before the rusted maroon door and knocked three times. She heard shuffling and the door opened.

"Oh, hey what's going on man?" Manny said in surprise as he leaned against the doorframe. "Did you find out what Boone wanted from you?"

"Yeah, he just wanted to see how my leg was doing. He uh... he's not very friendly is he?" Begrudgingly, if it was one thing Benny taught her how to be good at it was lying and manipulation. He always said it'll come in handy, especially in a place like Vegas.

Manny scratched the side of his face, "Yeah. His wife, Carla, disappeared one day and he hasn't been the same since. We're not so friendly right now, him and I. I guess he blames me for her disappearance."

She frowned in fake confusion, "Why's that?" she asked innocently.

"Well, me and his wife, we didn't see eye-to-eye on some things. We had some pretty big arguments." He waved his hand, "See, I grew up in North Vegas. Me and my cousins. We were some bad seeds. Got in with a gang. I loved it." He looked away uncomfortably. "Then something happened, and I couldn't handle it anymore."

_...North Vegas... their farm was close to there..._

A voice said in her head, and a odd feeling came over her but she ignored it and pushed it aside.

He continued, "So, I enlisted. Earned my future. Brought down my best friend to share that future with me." His face turned sour, "And here was the woman who was to good for it, trying to take him away. So yeah. I didn't see eye-to-eye with the bitch." He spat out. "But believe me. When I heard the news, my first thought was, I owe somebody. Big. I figured Boone would come around after a while."

Manny glanced up at the dinosaur. "But he hasn't. And I'm starting to think that if he doesn't find her, things will never go back to the way they were."

He hated the wife, that was clear. But not enough to get rid of her. Manny seemed to really care about Boone, and he wouldn't have done something to hurt Boone like that. Or that's what he was expressing. So if not him, then who?

"Who would want to hurt Boone's wife?" she asked.

He chuckled, "Man everybody. That girl didn't have one friend in this whole town. She didn't want any. She wanted to sit in a room all day and make herself miserable. And she went out of her way to be rude."

"She upset a lot of people," He pointed at her, "You wouldn't have liked her, either."

So the wife had a lot of enemies. That widened the pool of suspects. She wanted to leave to talk to Jeannie next, but something kept her there. Some queer feeling in her gut urged her to continue talking with Manny.

"So you were in a gang?" she asked, "Were they tough?"

Manny looked at her incredulously. "Were they tough? I was in the Khans, man. It doesn't get any badder."

_...Khans...fire...screamingscreamingscrea-_

"Hey you alright? You don't look so good." Manny stretched out a hand to touch her but she stumbled backwards. She hissed in pain, her head suddenly felt like it was tearing open. Blurry visions of something passed through her mind and it hurt owow it hurt god ow. Something touched her shoulder and she jumped back-

_...fire- screaming the man he- he looked at her... his eyes were red... monstermonstersmonsters-_

"Hey whoa!" Manny yelled as she slapped his hand away and whipped out her pistol. It was no longer Manny, she was no longer in Novac. She was at the farm. In the crop fields. Someone was screaming her name, calling for her.

_Her namenamenamenamename- _

And she ran. God she _ran away_. Like a coward. He was calling out for her. And then something grabbed her shoulders and she turned around, her rusty trusty rifle pointed at the monster-

"Hey! Hey STOP!"

She blinked and instead of the monster there stood Manny. The gun shook in her hands and she let it fall. A sharp pain struck her head and she gritted her teeth, placing her free hand to her forehead.

Manny lowered his hands down and hesitantly took a step forward. "Are you okay? What the hell, man?!"

"I-I don't know. I'm sorry I don't know-"

"What's going on here." A gravelly voice said and she turned to see Boone walking towards them, rifle out, glaring heatedly at Manny. _Oh crap, he thinks Manny is the one. _

"Nothing! Nothing I just-ow- my leg it uh it hurts." she said quickly, blocking Boone's path to Manny. Boone raised a brow and turned to Manny.

"She's.. right her leg started acting up and she uh fell." Boone looked back to her and she nodded her head. She looked up quickly, hoping he would realize she wasn't wearing the beret and not shoot the other town guard.

His lips thinned. "Fine." And with that he turned and walked back to Dinky.

They watched him go, and as soon as he entered the dino and was out of earshot Manny spoke up.

"What the hell? What happened to you right now? You could've shot me!" He hissed.

"I wouldn't have-" she closed her eyes, her head still pounding. "I gotta- I gotta go."

"Hey wait!" He called out to her but she was limping as fast as she can away and around to the back of the motel.

She needed to get away from whatever _that _was. She was too busy limping and didn't see the person in front of her till she bumped into him.

"Ow- oh uh sorry." She mumbled and stepped aside to continue- but the person stepped with her, blocking her path.

"Who sent you? I ain't talking. They tried to get me to talk before, but I didn't say nothing. And I don't aim to now, by gum."

_What? _She looked at the man this time more clearly. He was dirt old, and wore rags, and he looked like he hadn't taken a shower in forever. Smelled like it too.

He looked at her with wary eyes. "You better not come any closer, you hear? You come closer and I'm liable to stick you with my stickin' knife. Ol' Sticky's feeling mighty ornery this day." He said patting his side.

Her eyes widened, and she stepped back, reaching for her gun.

He nodded his head, "Yes Sticky is. No-bark had to tell that to the man covered in black and white."

"Benny?" she said.

"That him? No-Bark sees him, trying to camouflage from the extra terrestrials what can only see in black and white checkers. But they're not fooled 'cause he forgot to put checkers on his face. I told him and he seemed to take it to heart."

_I'm sure he did_, she thought.

"Yeah those darn a-l-iens see everything that goes around here. No-Bark sees things too. No-Bark tries to warn people but people never listen to me." the old man said dejectedly.

Still wary of the old man she said, "You see everything?"

No-Bark lightened up and bobbed his head up and down like a bobble-head.

She bit her lip, "Did you see what happened to Boone's wife, Carla?"

"Seen it all. Seen shadowy folk come to his room and leave again in the middle of the night. Thought one might've gone in the lobby, too, for a spell. Could be that person went in to get something. Or use the john maybe. Mighty interesting either way, you ask me." His eyes lit up in fear, "I thought it was cannibals, come to eat us all for sure, so I kept out of sight. But now I know better."

"Molerat men, come up from the Underneath to steal young women with promises of riches and fancy mud mansions with the latest designer appliances."

She somehow doubted that.

"They covet our ladyfolk's long hair wigs, it's said, being either bald or balding themselves." He shook his head in disapproval.

She ignored the last sentence, "And you said these people-"

"Molerat men!" He cut in.

"Right Molerat men. You said one of them went into the office?"

He nodded again. "With my own eyes." He said, pointing at his eyes.

"Right. Ok thanks... No-Bark." she said, inching away from the old coot.

"If anyone asks, we never spoke." He said mysteriously and left on his way down the street.

Well he's crazy. But she didn't think No-Bark hallucinated the events he told her about. And if he was right, then one of the legionnaires went into the Dino Dee-Lite.

And she didn't think they went to use the john.

0000000000

The lights in the office were off, meaning Jeannie had already left to her home. She really couldn't believe her luck. What an odd coincidence that she happened to bump into the very person who saw what happened to Carla. Now all she had to do was get proof that the old lady was responsible for Carla's kidnapping. Though she believed No-Bark, she couldn't just jump to conclusions. Maybe Jeannie had nothing to do with this and the legionnaire No-Bark saw maybe just broke into the office. She didn't want to condemn the wrong person.

It was already past midnight when she jiggled the knob to see if it was locked. Surprisingly, it wasn't and she stepped inside, closing the door behind her softly shut. The lobby looked different at night, more eerie. She crouched and started looking around. She first went behind the desk, looking through the cabinets one by one. When nothing came up, she moved on to the drawers in the desk but it had nothing for her.

Out of the corner of her eye, something small glowed in the dark. She turned and squinted at it, making out the little compartment of a safe dug into the ground.

Bingo.

She yanked it open, but it didn't budge and she mentally slapped herself. 'Course it would be locked. She crawled back to the drawers and opened one up with a bunch of lock picks and keys. She had no idea why Jeannie had so many lock picks. Plucking a screwdriver off the desk, and went back to the safe and after a second of silence it clicked open.

Once again, something Benny taught her. Was everything she learned all from him?

She frowned at that, hating how even now Benny was helping her.

Inside the safe was what you would expect inside a safe. Heaps of caps, a pack of cigarettes, some Pre-War money, and two forks? She shook her head and placed the utensils aside. At the bottom she spotted a wrinkled old paper. She stuffed all the things back inside and closed the safe, sitting down and reading the note, using her Pip-Boy as light.

At the top, in big bold letters were the words Bill of Sale. Written below in fancy cursive (and she would've had trouble reading that if it weren't for Benny) were:

We, the representatives of the Consul Officiorum, have this day bargained and purchased from Jeannie May Crawford of the township of Novac the exclusive rights to ownership and sale of the slave Carla Boone for the sum of one thousand bottle caps, and those of her unborn child for the sum of five hundred bottle caps, the receipt whereof is hereby acknowledged. We warrant the slave and her young to be sound, healthy, and slaves for life. We covenant with the said, Jeannie May Crawford, that we have full power to bargain and sell said slave and her offspring. Payment of an additional five hundred bottle caps will be due pending successful maturation of the fetus, the claim to which shall be guaranteed by possession of this document. M. Scribonius Libo Drusus et al.

Administrators of M. Licinius Crassus, Consul Officiorum ab Famulatus

Some of it was written in another language, most likely Lantin from what she heard, but she didn't need to understand the language to know that Jeannie May was one seriously messed up witch.

She folded the note carefully and stuffed it into her pocket. That was all the proof she needed.

She left the office, walking down the road to Jeannie's house. She knew where she lived since a long time ago Jeannie asked her to rest and try some of her molerat soup. She walked up to the doorstep and knocked on the door. It was silent at first, but then she heard footsteps approach and the door opened revealing the old lady.

"Oh dear, what time is it? Why're you out so late?" Jeannie asked, rubbing her tired eyes from under her glasses.

"Sorry Ms. Crawford. I thought I saw someone in your office and he ran off but he dropped something out in front of Dinky. I don't know what it is but I think you should come with me and get it."

The old lady froze and lowered her hand, her skin going pale. "Did you see who it was?" She shook her head. "Oh then, c'mon we better go see what he dropped. I hope it's just one of those t-rex figurines." Jeannie slipped on a pink coat and stepped outside, closing the door behind her.

"Now where did you say he dropped it?" the old lady asked, shivering from the cold night air.

"Over there. Follow me."

Jeannie followed the girl up the road, passing the motel and the t-rex. She continued, leading the old lady down the road, and across a bridge and when they were a good distance away from the town she stopped. She knew it was farther than Boone ordered her to go, but she didn't want any town's folk waking up and seeing their motel owner dead. Not so soon, at least. And plus she knew Boone was already watching them through his scope, and he would see the beret when she puts it on.

Jeannie shivered and wrapped the coat tighter around her thin body. "Is this it? I don't see anything."

The Courier didn't answer her. Jeannie noticed the odd silence and she looked at her in confusion.

The girl frowned at her, "Why did you do it?"

Jeannie looked confused and blinked a few times. "Do what? What do you mean?"

"Why did you sell her."

The old lady looked stunned and opened and closed her mouth a few times before turning red in the face. "I don't know what such a thing you're talking about girl. Now if you'll excuse me I'm going back to bed and-"

"Answer my question." She said, having pulled out her pistol. Jeannie froze, looking like a scared rabbit. Her eyes flickered to the gun and back to her face. Her lips set into a thin line and she crossed her arms.

"Fine. I don't know how you found out but I suppose it doesn't matter now, does it." The old lady sniffed and pushed up her glasses. "I did what was best for this town. What was _right_. You see, that woman-" she said women with a sneer, "-was a hindrance to this town and it's good people. She didn't want to live here, and she made it obvious with her attitude. She was a selfish whore and the only person who couldn't see it was her husband."

The Courier frowned, "That didn't mean you had to sell her. She had a baby."

The old woman flushed, "Of course I had to sell her! I had to get rid of the filth in this town and I did what was necessary. Wouldn't you have done the same?"

The girl looked at her, lips parted slightly.

_It seemed like the world was falling apart after her supposed death._

"No... no I wouldn't have."

With her other hand, she slipped out the beret and placed it on her head.

Blood splattered on her as Jeannie May's head exploded and the body fell to the ground.

She shook, wiping blood off her face. She's seen death before, but not up close. Not like this.

She stared at the grotesque sight and closed her eyes, looking away to glance up at the mouth of Dinky.

0000000000

She didn't go to Boone afterwards. She went straight to her room and washed away all the blood on her face and clothes. Silently, she crawled into bed and curled up in a tight ball, placing the beret on the table stand for Boone. She felt regret. She felt like she murdered someone. She wonders how Benny could sleep at night.

Hopefully in her dreams thing will be better.

When she woke up, the beret was gone and a sack of caps took it's place. Numbly, she got up and stuffed the caps in her pocket. She picked up a bag Andy gave her and walked out the door. Her leg still hurt, but she had stimpacks. She didn't want to stay in this town any longer.

She stopped at the bottom of the stairs in surprise. Boone was there, leaning casually on his room door. Didn't he sleep in the day? He turned his head to her, and she knew he wanted to talk. She walked up to him and stopped.

Both were silent, until Boone spoke up. "That's it then. How did you know?"

Instead of replying, she pulled out a folded note from her pocket and handed it to him. He unfolded and read the bill. His fingers tightened, crumpling the paper. When he was done he folded it again and stuffed it into his own pocket. He gazed out at the sunny Mojave Desert.

"I guess I shouldn't be surprised. It'd be like them to keep paperwork."

She also looked out at the desert.

"Look, I'm sorry for... for making you have to see that."

She hugged herself and shrugged, "It's ok. You had to do what you had to do."

They went silent again, neither one knowing what to say.

Out of curiosity she asked, "What will you do know?"

"I don't know. I won't be staying, I know that. Don't see much point in anything right now, except hunting legionaires. Maybe I'll wander, like you."

"I know where I'm going." she said.

Again, they fell silent.

She shifted and looked at him. She opened and closed her mouth. "Bye." She said finally.

Boone looked at her. "Bye."

She flickered her eyes down and she continued past him.

With the new load of caps, she stopped by Dr. Strauss' tent and bought some medical supplies. As she walked past the motel, she spotted some traveling merchants un-loading there stuff at the front of the town.

She came up to them. "Hey, did you happen to come from Nipton?" She wanted to know if the NCR had won back the Legion invaded town. One of them turned to her.

"Yeah actually. Town turned to shit though. It seemed like the NCR had a battle with some legionaires and it wasn't pretty." The merchant informed her.

"Was there a woman there? Cowboy hat, her names Cass?" She pried.

The merchant scrunched up his face and nodded his head slowly. "Yeah, yeah I think I remember someone like that. She bought a ton of ammo."

She briefly smiled, and handed him 80 caps. "Can you go back and tell her the Courier is alright?"

He scratched his head, "Yeah sure kid, why not. We'll be here though for a day or two and then we'll go back to Nipton."

"Thanks. Do you have any guns for sell?"

She bought herself a hunting rifle and some ammo as well as a hunting knife for the one she lost at the camp. She checked her supplies one more time, and started left down the road to where Boulder City was. She fiddled with the Pip-Boy, and got the radio to start playing a song. When she looked up, she spotted a figure walking some ways ahead of her. Despite herself, she smiled and jogged to catch up, slowing down to walk beside Boone.

He glanced at her, and she glanced at him.

She shrugged her shoulders, "I guess we're going the same way."

He didn't say anything, but he also didn't say no.

"Oh!" She stopped suddenly. "Um... I'll be right back." She dropped her bag and sprinted back to town.

When she returned she fully expected the sniper to have left her, but there he stood, waiting for her.

When she slung her bag over her shoulder he asked, "What did you forget?"

She smiled at him and pulled out Dinky the t-rex figurine.

He stared at the figurine, and the tips of his lips curled up.

She placed Dinky in her bag, and together, they began their journey through the Mojave.


	9. Boulder City Showdown

She rested the rifle on her shoulder, took aim, and shot the hind of a green gecko. It squawked, and took off. Ketchup barked, running in circles and she laughed.

"That's a nice shot. Now, I don't recall ever teachin' you how to shoot like that."

She turned around, and smiled at her old man. "I've been practicing. I wanna be like one of those snipers in the army."

"The army?" He chuckled, sitting himself next to her on the wooden fence. "If your mama were here, she would've given you a big talkin'."

"Why? Thought mama liked the army."

Her old man adjusted his dusty cowboy hat, squinting out at the expanse of crops. "She does. But she wouldn't let you go."

She snorted, "I would be fine. I heard the snipers aren't in the front. They gotta be waaay in the back, up on a hill or something so they can shoot down the enemies." She raised her rifle, squinted, and shot another gecko in the distance. "Like that."

Her pa whistled and she grinned, "You know they got this motto, 'The last thing you never see.'"

"That'll be you?"

She nodded her head, "Yeup. They won't know what hit 'em till they're dead."

Her pa laughed, shaking his head. They sat in comfortable silence, watching the sun rise from behind the mountains.

"You been feeling alright?"

She frowned, her good mood dissipating. "I'm fine." She bit out, shooting again, but at a molerat this time.

Her old man pursed his chapped lips, "You know I don't mean no harm. But I gotta know."

"I said I'm _alright_. I don't feel bad no more."

He sighed tiredly, scratching his prickly chin. "You tellin' the truth?"

"Yes." she said sharply.

"You ain't seein' things, hearin' things-"

She dropped her aim, "_I said I'm alright Papa!_" She hated talking about it. "I'm fine! I'm not like _her_."

Right after the words left her lips she instantly regretted them. "No, I didn't mean that."

Her pa held up a hand, "No. No you're right. Your not like your mama." He took of his hat, smoothing his balding head and placed it back. "Your mama was ill. Very ill. A kind of illness in the head." He turned to her, his soft blue eyes sad, "I don't want you gettin' that too."

She clutched her rifle, "I won't."

"I promise."

"Papa I'll come with you-"

"No, stay here. Don't worry 'bout me. I'll be alright."

Her old man crouched, brushing her hair out of her face, giving her a reassuring smile. "I'll be back. And you better have dinner cookin'."

She didn't like this. She didn't want him to go. "No Papa, just stay here. It's only Brahmin. We can get some new ones."

He shook his head, his old face tired. "Your Mama loved those Brahmin."

**Don't you love me? **

He got up, and grabbed his gun.

Her chest tightened, "Papa stop!"

**Don't go. **

He opened the loose wooden door, and turned back to her. "I gotta do this."

**No you don't. It's just Brahmin. **

"It's just Brahmin."

He smiled sadly at her, "It ain't just Brahmin."

He left. He left he left he left he left.

**Don't leave me. **

She squeezed her eyes shut and fell to her knees, clutching the sides of her head.

**He left he left you he left ****_killhim _****_ nononononodontleaveme_**

Something wet licked her thigh. She opened her eyes to see Ketchup wagging his tail. With shaky fingers, she pet his soft fur and got up, wiping her cheeks. She went and got her trusty rusty rifle. Slinging it over her back, she slipped on her boots and opened the front door.

"Stay put Ketchup." She ordered the dog. Ketchup whined but did as she said.

Stepping out of the house and into the cold night Mojave air, she started after her pa.

0000000000

She opened her eyes, reaching for her gun. Another sound and a molerat appeared from behind a dry bush, sniffing the air. She instantly relaxed. Just a molerat. She grabbed a rock close to her and chucked it at the animal. It hissed at her and scampered off.

Man, had she dozed off? She rubbed her tired eyes, yawning. It was still dark, but she could see tip of the sun rising. She brushed her fingers through her short hair and glanced at her sleeping partner. From the town, they walked a good few miles and they would've made it to the 188 Trading Post had it not been for Boone yawning so much.

That was then she realized that he hadn't slept all day- or night. So when they reached the Sunset Sarsaparilla billboard, she went straight to the small, makeshift campfire.

"What are you doing?" Boone asked as she set her pack down on one of the yellow cots.

"You're tired. You need to sleep." It wasn't safe to go through the desert sleep-deprived.

He frowned, "I'm fine. Let's keep going."

But she didn't budge. "You'll only slow me down."

His lips pulled down, and she thinks he was going to keep walking anyways but he walked over to the other empty cot and set his heavy rifle down. He laid down in silence and didn't move for the rest of the day. She stayed up throughout the day and night. She didn't mind. Because of her job, she traveled alone and only slept when necessary. Other than that, she would wait until she reached a town. Sleeping alone without no one to keep a look out was stupid.

She took a sip from her water bottle, soothing her parched throat. Waiting for the sun to rise up, her mind drifted off. She remembers the other time she's rested at the billboard. She was requested by Tommy Torino to search for talented individuals for the Tops performances. She'd convinced a guy named Bruce Isaac to come with her back to New Vegas to sing at the Tops and they rested at this very spot.

That was where she met The Lonesome Drifter. The asian man was playing an instrument she's never seen before. Said it was a guitar. Whatever it was, it played beautifully. Bruce joined in singing songs while the Drifter played his guitar. It was actually a nice experience.. and she got the Drifter to join her back to Vegas. Coming back with not only a singer, but with the only guy who owned a guitar she got paid extra.

For their first show, she dragged Benny down to see it with her. She liked that night. Of course Benny being the chairman, they got front row seats and free drinks. Seeing them perform, and Benny next to her, she could almost pretend they were on a date. Just the two of them.

She shook the thought away. She really had to stop thinking about him. It only made her feel sick.

Boone shifted in his cot, startling her. The man moved again, and got up, cracking his neck.

She too got up, "Here." she said, handing him her water bottle. He took it wordlessly and drank it. He handed it back to her and she stuffed it back into her bag.

"Ready?"

"Yeah." He said, slinging his rifle back over his shoulder.

They left the small campfire, and continued down the highway. She was glad Boone was up before the sun could be in the sky. It was better traveling while the air was still cool. It wasn't long before they reached the trading post. The familiar sight of an NCR flag waved on a pole, and she walked past it to a wrecked, looking trading shop made out of blue scrap metal.

A woman was behind the bar, cleaning glasses and looked up as they approached her. The woman smiled at the Courier, "Knew you were coming back this way. You want the usual?"

The Courier nodded, taking a seat on one of the stools at the bar. The woman blinked in surprise as Boone sat down next to her.

"Oh! I didn't know you had company." She turned to Boone, "Welcome to the 188 Slop and Shop. My name's Michelle, how can I help you?"

"I'll have what she's having." Boone replied coolly.

"Two iguana on a stick coming right up." She left them to cook the iguana meat. While there food was being prepared, the Courier inputted the location of where they currently were at. So far, she's got the map half full with all the locations she's discovered. As she added Boulder City to the map Boone spoke up.

"What is that thing?"

She blinked, "This?" She raised her right wrist, "It's.. a Pip-Boy."

Boone frowned, staring at the machine, "I've never seen anything like that before."

"Yeah, me too. The guy who gave it to me came from a vault." She looked at the machine attached to her wrist, "It's actually kind of handy."

Boone opened his mouth to say something but their food arrived, ending the conversation.

Michelle leaned on the counter, "Oh, and when your done the kid wants to see you." She said to the Courier.

The girl chewed on the crunchy vegetable and swallowed. "What does he want?"

Michelle smiled shrugging her shoulders, "I don't know. He just says he wants to see you. Wouldn't tell me why."

She finished her light breakfast, paid and got up. She turned to Boone awkwardly. Man, she wasn't used to having another person traveling with her. "I'll be back. I just gotta check up on something."

Boone nodded silently and she left. Walking down and under the twin bridges, she passed several make-shift homes and a burning barrel to where the Forecaster lived. The Forecaster was a kid, a year or two younger than her, and was the trading post's resident fortune teller (when he's off his meds). He was sitting down on his blanket, and perked up when he saw her.

He smiled giddily, "Courier! I knew you'd come."

She gave the eccentric boy half a smile and sat down across from him. "Michelle said you wanted to see me?"

He nodded excitedly and reached up into a light green baby carriage and pulled out a stuffed teddy bear. "One of the merchants came through, and he had this on him and it- uh reminded me of you and I thought you would like it so I bought and, and so here." He stuttered, handing her the teddy.

She blinked, "Thanks.. Forecaster." She took the bear and placed it carefully in her bag. She got up to head back to Boone but the kid raised a hand.

"Wait! Um, do you wanna hear anything? It's been a while since you've been here and lots of new thoughts have been coming through."

She pursed her lips. Maybe it wouldn't hurt to hear a few things. She sat back down, taking out caps but the kid shook his head.

"Just for you, it's free this time. So, what do you want to hear?"

She bit her lip, "... New Vegas."

The Forecaster groaned, "Aw man I hate doing that one. It leaves me feeling dirty.. but ok." He took off his weird, metal contraption on his head and closed his eyes.

".. Lies and regrets. Pride and greed. Lust and murder. Three knights in a lucky king's kingdom, but one is a snake. A light shines in Vegas, but a darkness covers the tower. A chip dipped in blood..." His face scrunched up, "Forecast: New Vegas is still the same." He opened his eyes and placed the red contraption back on his head, sighing in relief.

He rubbed his head, "Can you maybe next time not think so loud? It really hurts."

"Oh, sorry." She mumbled.

The Forecaster suddenly looked uncomfortable, "Courier? Is.. something wrong? I heard your thoughts but they were all jumbled up. I couldn't make sense of it."

She looked away, "It's nothing." She got up and he got up too.

"Are you leaving now?" He said, looking crestfallen. She nodded. "When do you think you'll come back?"

She shrugged, "I don't know. When I need to pass by here again."

He lightened up at that and smiled at her. "Ok! I'll see you then!"

He waved at her as she went up back to Boone. Going back to the Slop n shop, she stopped, confused. Boone wasn't there.

"Your friend's at the arms merchant." Michelle informed, noticing the girl's confusion. The woman leaned on the counter with a concern look on her pale face, "I know it's none of my business but you usually travel alone. What's with the 1st Recon guy? He your older brother or something?"

"Something like that." she mumbled, walking to the merchant's bus. She didn't feel like explaining who Boone was. She really didn't even know herself. They're just, sort of travelling together. She wouldn't call him a companion, or a follower. They're just.. going in the same direction. She didn't expect him to stay for that long. Their paths go different ways.

She spotted Boone by the bus. A ragged looking girl was talking to him, but it wasn't the merchant she knew. When she came closer, she picked up on what she was saying to Boone.

"-that'd be too dangerous for just me. What do you think? Maybe we could travel together, help each other out."

The Courier stopped next to Boone, inspecting the woman. She looked dusty, and had on clothes she's never seen before. It covered her whole body, and a weird metal fist contraption was on her right hand, making it look huge and bulky.

The woman blinked in surprise, "Oh. Looks like you got a naïve young girl already."

The girl frowned at that.

"I'm not the one to decide. Take it up with her." He said, jamming a thumb at the Courier.

The strange woman dismissed Boone and focused her attention on the girl. "Hi, I'm Veronica. I was just asking your dad if I could travel with you guys. You two seem like a pretty tough pair, what with your dad being a 1st Recon an all."

"He's not my dad."

"Uncle?"

"No."

Veronica looked lost, "Oh.. then who is he?"

The girl looked at Boone, who was buying some ammo from the military merchant. "We're just traveling together."

"Well, okay. You don't mind if I tag along? Like I told your friend, it's pretty dangerous out there, for me."

She bit her lip, "I don't know. I'm heading to The Strip and he's going.. We're not planning on staying together."

Veronica shrugged, smiling, "No problem. I'll go where ever. And when you guys split I'll go my own way. No hard feelings."

The girl looked at Boone. She guessed it wouldn't hurt bringing someone else along. And they were heading to Boulder City where the Khans were at. They might need the extra man-power. The Great Khans were a ruthless clan, they would need all the help they could get. And she was pretty sure they wouldn't just let them stroll right in and ask about Benny.

"Ok." She said and Veronica broke out in a grin.

"Now you're talking." The woman's grin faded and she looked nervous, "One thing you should know first, though... I'm part of this group, you might've heard of them. The Brotherhood of Steel."

"You're part of the Brotherhood?" She didn't see that coming. The woman didn't even look like a them. Being a courier, she's run into them once or twice out in the Mojave and usually they wore this heavy, power armor. They were scarier than some of the Rangers. Not to mention they confiscated her energy pistol Arcade gave to her as a gift for helping the Followers of the Apocalypse out.

Veronica nodded, "Yeah. And I know you know they aren't a.. friendly bunch. We've made a lot of enemies. You still okay with bringing me along?" She gave the girl a hopeful look.

She thought it over in her head. Veronica was a Brotherhood, but she didn't seem stuck up like them. And plus, she's a _Brotherhood _willing to team up with her. With a sniper and a brotherhood, she would have a fair fight with the Khans.

"Ok."

Veronica grinned, "Yes! And um, can we not mention this to your friend? The Brotherhood and the NCR aren't on good terms.."

She looked at Boone, "No problem."

"Ok! So when are we leaving."

Boone finished his purchases and walked back to them. "Now actually." the Courier said. No point in hanging around. Boone didn't acknowledge the new addition to their traveling group, staying silent and uninterested. They walked out of the trading post, Michelle waving goodbye to the three. She checked her map again, marking Boulder City as a destination.

"Oh my god. Is that a Pip-Boy!" Veronica exclaimed, catching sight of the machine on her wrist.

"Yea-" Veronica grabbed her wrist, examining the machine in fascination.

"How on earth did you get this? Are you a vaultie?"

The Courier frowned and pulled her wrist back, "No. I just got it from someone."

Veronica shook her head, "You know those things are priceless? The Brotherhood doesn't, but that's because they don't see it's full potential. They're all interested in energy guns and missiles in the sky."

She pointed to the machine, "But that thing is what humanity really needs. I've never used one before, but I heard that it's like a life support system. Really advanced."

The Courier glanced at her wrist, "..It's alright. I just like the radio really."

Veronica laughed, "Aw man I didn't know they had a radio system. Hey, put something on."

"Ok." She clicked on DATA and then on RADIO. It crackled at first but a song started playing.

_"...No one dared to ask his business... No one dared to make a slip... The stranger there among them had a big iron on his hip..~"_

They walked on, listening to the radio. The sun was now, unfortunately, up in the sky, heating down on their backs making them sweat profusely. Veronica seemed to be having it the worst.

She wiped her head with her none pneumatic hand, "Ah.. man how do you guys live out here. It's scorching hot!"

The Courier also wiped some sweat trickling down her neck, "You get used to it." She handed the woman her water bottle ad she took it gratefully.

"Thanks.." She chugged it down, finishing with a refreshed sigh. She gave it back to her, "So, where are we heading anyways?"

The Courier frowned at the half-empty bottle, "Boulder City. There's some Khans I want to talk to."

Veronica laughed, "Khans? You want to _talk_ to Khans? That's suicide."

"I know. But they have answers to some of my questions."

"And that would be..?"

The Courier gave Veronica a look.

She nodded her head, "Ok. Sorry, none of my business... Hey, you ever been in love?" Veronica said, changing the subject.

**_Loveme_**

"No."

Veronica smiled cheekily, "What am I saying. You're still so young.." A far away look came upon the woman's face. "I was, once. We were pretty young, maybe a little bit older than you, but I like to think it was love... And then she left." The woman shook her head, "You know it sucks when you really care about someone, and they just leave you."

_**Don'tleaveme**_

"Take my advice. Don't ever, ever fall in love. Love sucks. I'm pretty sure she's moved on.. but I still think about her. Once in a while."

They both jumped in fright as a loud unexpected bang pierced the air. Somewhere in the distance, a Radscorpion fell down dead, and Boone lowered his rifle.

Veronica had her hand on her chest breathing hard, "Holy crap, that almost gave me a heart attack."

Boone didn't say anything and swung his rifle back over his shoulder. He had been silent the whole time, and they had forgotten he was even there. Veronica leaned down to the girl and whispered, "He's not very friendly is he?"

She shrugged. If she was honest, she didn't mind Boone's silent personality. It fit well with her, since she too didn't like to talk much. Only when necessary.

Eventually, they arrived at their destination. Walking past an abandoned train station, they stopped in front of a billboard that read: Don't Wait Another DAM Minute! Visit Hoover Dam TODAY! It showed a painting of the dam, though the paint and paper were peeling off. The sign had graffiti on it, some saying RANGERS GIVE EM' HELL, and between Hoover and Dam someone graffiti NCR so it read, Hoover NCR Dam.

Veronica snorted, "Ugh, the Legion. Silliest dressed band of raping, slaving marauders you'll see east of California, I'll say that. Where's that touch of Old World class? Although I hear the soldiers mount each other as much as they mount their women, so maybe they did keep a little something from the Empire."

Boone snickered at that.

Veronica continued with a sour look, "No such privilege for the women, though. Figures. They're all just a bunch of hypocritical jerkwads."

The Courier raised a brow at the insult and Veronica shrugged, "What, it's a word."

They continued down the road leading into the city, until they halted by the Big Horn Saloon. In front of the saloon, was a big, chunk of stone with a bear carved into it, candles laid on the ground next to it. An NCR soldier stood in front the stone, and turned around hearing their approach.

He looked solemn, sad even. "You here to pay your respects, too?"

"Is that some kind of memorial?" Veronica spoke up, staring at the stone curiously.

The stone had words carved into it which read:

ON THIS SPOT IN THE YEAR 2277,

RANGERS AND SOLDIERS OF THE

NEW CALIFORNIA REPUBLIC TURNED BACK

THE FORCES OF CAESAR'S LEGION DURING THE

BATTLE OF HOOVER DAM.

OVER ONE HUNDRED MEN AND WOMEN

GAVE THEIR LIVES ON NEVADA SOIL

TO DEFEND LOCAL CIVILIANS AND THE

PRINCIPLES OF THE REPUBLIC.

MAY THIS HUMBLE STONE BE AN ENDURING

MEMORIAL TO THEIR VALOR AND SACRIFICE.

"It commemorates the Battle of Hoover Dam." Boone said, looking downcast himself.

The soldier nodded, "The Ranger's lured the best of Caesar's Legion into Boulder City, then blew up the whole town. The NCR still lost a whole bunch of troops in the fighting, though." The man turned back to the memorial and placed a hand on it. "My older brother sacrificed himself so they could evacuate some of the wounded."

"I'm sorry to hear that." The Courier said, "I'm looking for some Khans around the area. You know where they are?"

"Great Khans? How do you know about that?" The soldier asked.

"Know about what?" Veronica piped up.

"About some Khans holed up in the wreckage. We got them pinned down, but it's a stalemate out there."

The Courier stepped up, "We can help."

The soldier bit his lip, "Alright, normally I don't let civilians in on NCR business but it's bad and we could use the help. Go down the road, past over there. Lieutenant Monroe will be at the front. Tell him Private Kowalski sent you guys, he'll listen then."

The Courier nodded, and the group walked down to where Kowalski pointed to.

"Weird, you'd think there would be gunshots." Veronica noted, disturbed by the silence.

"They're at a stalemate. Means neither side can shoot the other without consequences." Boone said.

They walked behind a fenced, scrap metal gate that separated them from the destruction of the city. Following the sloppy, barricade, they made a right, down past a burning barrel to a heavily armored man.

"Stop. We got a situation with some Great Khans right now. The brass at McCarran has ordered me to lock down the ruins until it's been resolved." Lieutenant Monroe said when he caught sight of them.

The Courier spoke up, "Your Private out front said you guys needed some help. We're here to help."

Monroe squinted at her, and then to the ragged looking woman, and the neutral faced sniper. "We can use the sniper, but you two have to stay out here."

Veronica guffawed, and the girl's brow knitted together. "No. It's either all of us or not."

Monroe rubbed his face, "Aw what the hell. Anything to end this quick."

"What's the situation right now." she asked, glancing at the barricade.

"One of my patrols was on it's way back from Novac when it came under fire from the Great Khans. They radioed for reinforcements, but instead of waiting for us, they chased the Khans into the ruins where they were caught in a crossfire. No deaths, but not all of the squad got out. The Khans have Private Ackerman and Private Gilbert as hostages."

The Courier frowned. She needed to get in there somehow, but the two sides were tense and any wrong move would sent them shooting at each other. Going in fighting wouldn't be smart. If they shoot, then the two privates will die. But maybe they didn't have to go in fighting.

"I may be able to negotiate a deal with the Great Khans." she said, the gears in her brain working. "And if I succeed, then nobody will have to die."

"Uh.. what are you doing?" Veronica whispered, alarmed.

Monroe shook his head, "No. I won't let you go in there alone. Too many ways that plan could go wrong, and you could get seriously hurt."

"I'm not going in alone." She nodded her head to Veronica, "She'll be coming with me. Boone will be up in those hills over there. If anything happens, he'll make sure we get out alive."

Monroe looked torn, looking at the girl and then to Boone. Finally he relented, "All right, I'm going to give you a chance to talk to the Great Khans. Their leader is a man named Jessup."

She nodded and looked at Boone, who walked off to get into a higher position. The two girls started to the door that lead inside the ruins but Monroe placed a hand on the Courier's shoulder. "If we hear shooting, we'll be coming in, but it'll probably be too late for you."

She looked him straight in the eye and nodded, "I understand."

He let go, "Good luck."

Taking a deep breath, she opened the fenced door and entered the ruins.

"You do know what you're doing right?" Veronica said beside her nervously. "Cause I don't know, I never imagined me dying like this."

"We won't die." The girl said firmly.

They went through crumbling building and past wrecked cars stacked on each other. Passing some NCR soldiers hiding behind large fallen cements, they entered a clearing of sorts. Another step and a bullet bounced off the ground in front of them.

"That's close enough!" A man hollered from behind a car and they halted, raising their hands slightly. "You don't look like one of them! What do you want?"

"We're here to negotiate!" Veronica yelled back. It was silent, and she assumed the man had someone else beside him he was talking to. The man peeked his head over the car and aimed at them.

"No deal! Now get lost before I shoot the both of you!"

The girl frowned, annoyed. "You shoot us and our sniper blows your head off!"

The man cursed, "Fuck you! If your sniper shoots me we shoot the hostages!"

Veronica clicked her tongue, "Well this is getting us nowhere."

The Courier pursed her lips, "Hold on. Hey! Go tell your leader courier number six is here to talk to him."

The man didn't move.

"Tell him!" she yelled again and this time a woman appeared from behind the car aiming at them while the man, still crouching, made his way to a door and entered a building. They waited in tense silence before the door opened again and the man stepped out, pointing his gun at them.

"Ok! But only the Courier!" He yelled.

"No way!" Veronica yelled back and turned to the girl. "I'm not letting you go in there alone."

She shook her head, "I gotta go. I know what I'm doing. If you hear shooting, get out and tell Boone to shoot Jessup no matter what. Got it?"

Veronica bit her lip, looking worried. "I can't. This is stupid, we'll find another way-"

"Veronica. There is no other way. You don't understand. I am going in." she said. This was probably stupid, but she'll be damned if she doesn't go in there and get some answers. And she won't let anybody stop her. Veronica stood speechless as the girl started forward slowly, the gun still aimed at her. She passed over the invisible line between semi-safety to you're gonna die side and stepped into the Khans secret hideout.

0000000000

"Holy _shit_. It really is you."

Inside the hideout, Jessup and another Khan waited for her behind the counter.

Jessup blinked, shaking his head. "You're supposed to be dead."

She glared at him. Yup, it was him alright. She remembered seeing him back at the graveyard.

"I got better." She said bitterly, restraining herself from just shooting the fucker in the head.

He blinked again, looking bewildered. "And here I thought us Great Khans were tough to kill." The tension in the room was almost unbearable, and with her unrelenting stare, he grew nervous. "So, what happens now?"

"Tell me about the checkered man. What happened to him." She hissed.

Jessup glowered at the mention of the man. "Benny? That son of a bitch, he stabbed us in the back. He stole that chip we got from you." He looked disgusted and spat on the ground, "He's probably back at the Strip by now, laughing at me."

She wasn't surprised. "What do you know about the chip?"

Jessup shrugged, "It's just a big, fancy poker chip as far as I know. Don't know why anyone would make one out of platinum, though."

She pursed her lips frustrated, "Well, do you know why he wanted it? He paid you guys didn't he? He must've told you _why_."

"Sorry kid but that's about it. He paid us to go with him through the desert to get a package from a courier. Not much else to it."

She looked away, shaking her head in disbelief. No. That couldn't be it.

**_No nonono it can't beitcantbe-_**

"That can't be just it!" she yelled, "There has to be something!" _Anything._

Jessup raised his hands in alarm, "Hey whoa calm down kid. Sorry if that ain't what you wanted to hear but that's all I got."

Her mind buzzed, and she felt a headache coming on but she closed her eyes and took in a deep breath.

"Fine. Fine." She forcefully calmed herself down. Her mind still buzzed, and it felt itchy but she ignored it, pushing the screaming thoughts away.

"Is that all you came here for?" Jessup asked.

"No, I'm also here about your situation. I came to negotiate."

Jessup snickered, "What's to negotiate? The NCR backs off, we walk out of here, nobody gets hurt."

Well that's one way to look at it. But it wouldn't work. "If you let the hostages free now, maybe the NCR will just let you go."

The Khan rolled his eyes, "Right, and they'd probably give us all medals, too. Maybe I should kill a hostage because you wasted my time with this shit."

She glared at him, her hand twitching over her gun. "I'm willing to hear other suggestions."

"We'd try to bribe our way out, but seeing as how Benny didn't pay us yet, that won't happen."

She pursed her lips. Well shit. Nothing was going to work. She couldn't convince the Khans to let the hostages go without the NCR taking them in or shooting them. But she also didn't want a blood bath.

"Wait. If I give you the Lieutenants word that if you let the hostages go, you and your clan will get to walk out of here, would you be willing to?"

Jessup scratched his bearded chin, "Maybe. That is, _if_ you convince the guy."

She nodded. All right, not she got a plan. "Ok, stay put. And don't shoot anyone."

Jessup gave her a mock salute. She glared at him again and left the hideout. Back outside, Veronica sighed in relief as she spotted the Courier coming out unharmed.

"So?" She asked when the girl approached her.

"They're willing to let the hostages go. But they need Monroe's word that he won't flush them out once they let go of their leverage." They walked back to the gate.

Veronica shook her head, "I don't like that. This is tricky business we're dealing with here."

"I know." They exited the ruins. Monroe looked surprised to see them without bullets in their faces.

"You're back. How did it go?"

"Well, they're willing to let the hostages go. Only if they have your word that you'll let them go peacefully."

Monroe sighed, "That's great to hear but I just got orders to take out the Great Khans, hostages or not."

"What?!" Veronica exclaimed angrily, "That's bullshit!"

The Courier shook her head, "Lieutenant. They are _willing_ to let the hostages go. Attacking them now will result not only in their death, but the deaths of your troop."

Monroe looked uncertain, "My hands are tied. I can't go against orders... can I?"

"If you want to avoid unnecessary deaths, than you can." She said firmly.

Monroe looked at her and chuckled, "God, we should have more people like you in the army. Tell them they are free to go."

She nodded and they went back inside. This time, Jessup and the rest of his clan were waiting for her outside the hideout with the two hostages.

"So we have a deal?" Jessup said, glancing at the ruins nervously.

"Let them go first, and then you guys can go." She said.

Jessup looked leery, but ordered the two to be released. The two NCR soldiers got up hesitantly, and jogged back to their side. Once the two rejoined their troop, all the hiding NCR soldiers stood up and holstered their weapons. The two sides looked extremely wary of each other, but the Courier cleared her throat and started down the path to the exit.

It was a tense, and awkward situation to see Great Khans strolling past NCR soldiers, but eventually they all exited the ruins without shooting at each other. Once the last Great Khan exited the ruins, Jessup let out a breath he'd been holding.

She walked with them a few feet away from town, and turned back.

"Hey."

She turned around in time to catch something flying at her.

"A souvenir for you. It's Benny's lighter. Shove it up his ass when you catch up with him." Jessup said, and with that walked off with his clan into the desert.

She uncurled her fingers to see a familiar lighter resting on her palm. She stared at the blonde pin-up girl, and flicked the lighter open, a small flame flaring to life.

Despite the heat of the sun, she felt cold inside.


End file.
